if messi left would you still be a barca fan

[Bertus]

Of course Messi was not the only reason and I never meant to imply that. But by now, Xavi is close to retirement and Iniesta looks to have declined or is really struggling with the current system. In today's team, Messi (and Xavi to an extent) are the only people who remind me why I stayed up nights every weekend or even during exams to follow a group of 11 players kick a ball around. If Messi left at Barca's peak, I would still watch Barca because they were a fantastic team even without him. However, I would also try to follow Messi in whichever team he was because he's the most talented player I've ever seen.

No there's nothing that will stop me from following Bayern, it's all about how you want to spend your time. Free time in a lot of people's life is a very precious commodity and most people want to make the best use of it. It is also totally possible that I will just naturally lose interest in watching football and pick up a new hobby or sport.

I'm totally fine with everything you said. Especially about how to spend one's free time. Something I can understand since it happens I don't follow football for weeks when things are busy IRL and since I have higher priorities than football.

Cheers, ty for spending your time replying to me.

 

[Luftstalag14]

So footy you are more of a general football fan, or a fan of certain good players than any fan of any specific team, right?

If Messi and Ronaldo both join Bayern, you will certainly be watching Bayern and following them, but that doesn't mean you will be a Bayern fan, correct?

 

[zanela]

What about Djoko?

His fans are not that annoying tbh. They are sandwitched between rafa and fed fans from time to time. I know for a fact that Djoko fans hate how fed fans start cheering for Djoko when he's playing Rafa, and immediately put him down if he can't get the work done.
I personally dislike Djoko for preventing my man from what should 've already been his 17th.

I never understood that anyway. Can you clarify???

She's just all frills and no substance. Amongst the worst slamless #1 in WTA history. Not particularly liked by Rafa fans after she mimicked his cramp-during-presser episode.

 

[Luftstalag14]

I think that's it. It has to do with loyalty.

It depends on how you define a fan in this situation. I would call a person a "true fan" if he supports the team over the long-term, through thick and thin. A "band-wagoner" or "glory-hunter" is on the other side of the scale.

A person doesn't have to be a true fan, but he shouldn't pretend to be one. As long as that's clear, I don't mind them.

I don't think that's necessarily the case. I think it is more heart than mind.

I mean I am not telling myself everyday "you've got to do the right thing and support Barca regardless" and I am not necessarily proud of my loyalty to Barca. I am supporting Barca, even without Messi who was the biggest reason why I am a Barca fan, simply because Barca has become part of my identify, part of who I am, like it or not and there is very little I can do about it (and sometimes I really want to change it ). It is not about me taking pride in my loyalty to Barca, telling myself I am a better person if I am a loyal fan.

 

[Hamzah]

I think it's more fun if you stick with a team even when they struggle, it makes it better when you finally win again.

 

[Flavia]

I think it's more fun if you stick with a team even when they struggle, it makes it better when you finally win again.

It does. Getting back to winning with Ronnie was awesome. Even more cathartic was city fans winning the league I don't know how many years later, when they invaded the pitch. That must have been really awesome.

 

[Bertus]

His fans are not that annoying tbh. They are sandwitched between rafa and fed fans from time to time. I know for a fact that Djoko fans hate how fed fans start cheering for Djoko when he's playing Rafa, and immediately put him down if he can't get the work done.
I personally dislike Djoko for preventing my man from what should 've already been his 17th.

I know that well since I know some Djoko fans. I just wanted to know what do you think about him, now I do

TBH, nothing tennis fans related can come close to those british cheering for/hating Murray. I had so much fun following his journey leading to his victory at the OG. Even better than his wimbledon title.

All those english fans cheering for him, then trashing him, then cheering for him again, then discussing his britishometer.

 

[footyfan]

So footy you are more of a general football fan, or a fan of certain good players than any fan of any specific team, right?

If Messi and Ronaldo both join Bayern, you will certainly be watching Bayern and following them, but that doesn't mean you will be a Bayern fan, correct?

Yes, I don't see what a team (by that I mean the institution) has done to win my unconditional support. Has FC Barcelona the entity won my admiration? No, it was just a special group of players that did it.

 

[Alik]

I don't think that's necessarily the case. I think it is more heart than mind.

I mean I am not telling myself everyday "you've got to do the right thing and support Barca regardless" and I am not necessarily proud of my loyalty to Barca. I am supporting Barca, even without Messi who was the biggest reason why I am a Barca fan, simply because Barca has become part of my identify, part of who I am, like it or not and there is very little I can do about it (and sometimes I really want to change it ). It is not about me taking pride in my loyalty to Barca, telling myself I am a better person if I am a loyal fan.

True, I agree.


...But anyone is better than a gloryhunter

 

[Luftstalag14]

I think it's more fun if you stick with a team even when they struggle, it makes it better when you finally win again.

I think for most fans it is not something you can control though. I really don't get those people who can instantly fall in and out of love with a team just like that. It is a skill alright.

As to the "glory-hunters", I think they never truly love a team, they just get attracted to a team because of trophies/results/players.

 

[Bertus]

True, I agree.


...But anyone is better than a gloryhunter

I think for most fans it is not something you can control though. I really don't get those people who can instantly fall in and out of love with a team just like that. It is a skill alright.

As to the "glory-hunters", I think they never truly love a team, they just get attracted to a team because of trophies/results/players.

You guys are harsh.

Not everyone has the same level of passion for something. How do you measure it anyways? How much place FCB has to take in one's life for somebody to be considered a true, loyal fan?

You can like something for a few years without it being considered fake.

Actually, one can have an extreme passion for a pretty short time and have a level of fanboyism most would never reach during that time.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Out of curiosity, footy, for general football fans like you, do you actually cheer for the team that the players you like play for? Do you want them to win? Do you care about the result as much as we team fans do?

Or do you just care about how these players you like play, whether they play well or not and the result does not matter?

 

[footyfan]

Out of curiosity, footy, for general football fans like you, do you actually cheer for the team that the players you like play for? Do you want them to win? Do you care about the result as much as we team fans do?

Or do you just care about how these players you like play, whether they play well or not and the result does not matter?

Well, firstly feelings can change with time.

For me, of course I want the team to win, not because I love the team but because I want the style that I like to be successful. However, when success does arrive, I certainly don't feel as strongly as true fans of the club. Same for failure.

Over time, when I saw that the style was being found out, I got attached to certain players and wanted to see them be successful, sometimes even at all costs or at the expense of the very style that originally got me to like them. Other times, I don't care for the results at all and only care about the aesthetics on the pitch.

So the answer is, it depends.

 

[Luftstalag14]

You guys are harsh.

Not everyone has the same level of passion for something. How do you measure it anyways? How much place FCB has to take in one's life for somebody to be considered a true, loyal fan?

You can like something for a few years without it being considered fake.

Actually, one can have an extreme passion for a pretty short time and have a level of fanboyism most would never reach during that time.

In all fairness Bertus, I was referring to those people who have "skin-deep" attachment (something their brain can control) to a team, people who were in and out in a very short time. I wasn't talking about imposing some sort of criterion judging the "trueness" of fans. It is completely subjective of course, depending on how one each feels about it.

And there is certainly nothing wrong with people growing out of love toward a team over time. But becoming a "fan" of a team, whoever is the most attractive/powerful/trophy-heavy and constantly switching allegiance is wrong, in my opinion.

 

[Alik]

You guys are harsh.

Not everyone has the same level of passion for something.

It's mostly the people who pretend to be passionate that bother me.

There's also something about you sticking with your team through the bad moments and, when they finally win, seeing random so called fans appearing to celebrate.