Matic should not feel obligated to explain his reasons for not wearing a poppy.

Matic is a proud Serbian. He may not be quite so proud about what his people did in their desire to create a Greater Serbia, devoid of those they considered inferior.

The poppy possibly acts as a reminder...

The whole poppy 'debate' gets increasingly tedious each year. Don't get why the poppy police would get so outraged by someone not wearing one. Get a grip.

Shame that James McClean had to explain his decision again, despite the fact everyone must know by know.

I don't have a problem with anyone who does, or doesn't, wear a poppy - only the existence of people who don't know what it means or don't feel commemorating tragedy is important. I don't believe either player takes the decision lightly or fails to understand the symbolism.

Frankly it's just pointless posturing by the thought police, in the most ironic way possible.

I'm also quite amused at the idea that McClean might have been censured for his use of a dubious term to describe an irish catholic, i.e. himself in a tweet. Careful with that "we know what we are" chant...

girl saturday wrote:How low can you go Norm?
Because of what the poppy truly stands for, he actually has the choice!
A kit with a poppy is provided, wear it or don't play.

Or just wear one of the kits you'd wear every other week and get on with your life?

In a wierd way, by virtue of giving an explanation he has calmed the waters. He would be in much more flack in his homeland if he had worn it compared to the flack he gets here for not wearing it.

Serbia is not exactly a close ally of the West since NATO bombed Serbia when he was 12. Norm says he shouldn't have to explain himself. In this instance, I disagree. I can understand his (Matic) point. Hopefully reasonably informed people will understand now why he chooses not to wear it. For him, it is a valid reason. He hasn't done it for inflammatory reasons to score points etc.

Not sure why the 'Poppy Police' were brought into this one by the previous poster. No need for it.

pembsexile wrote:In a wierd way, by virtue of giving an explanation he has calmed the waters. He would be in much more flack in his homeland if he had worn it compared to the flack he gets here for not wearing it.

Serbia is not exactly a close ally of the West since NATO bombed Serbia when he was 12. Norm says he shouldn't have to explain himself. In this instance, I disagree. I can understand his (Matic) point. Hopefully reasonably informed people will understand now why he chooses not to wear it. For him, it is a valid reason. He hasn't done it for inflammatory reasons to score points etc.

Not sure why the 'Poppy Police' were brought into this one by the previous poster. No need for it.

No need for what? Without them, Matic wouldn't need to make a statement.

I wonder what would happen if one of our players said that he didn’t want to wear one, or we came against a player who refused? What reaction would they get?

I've got Serbian friends who would tell a whole different story to the one we got in West when that war was on. Matic has his own reasons. We should respect them not force him to wear a shirt with a poppy on it.

DT1892 wrote:

pembsexile wrote:In a wierd way, by virtue of giving an explanation he has calmed the waters. He would be in much more flack in his homeland if he had worn it compared to the flack he gets here for not wearing it.

Serbia is not exactly a close ally of the West since NATO bombed Serbia when he was 12. Norm says he shouldn't have to explain himself. In this instance, I disagree. I can understand his (Matic) point. Hopefully reasonably informed people will understand now why he chooses not to wear it. For him, it is a valid reason. He hasn't done it for inflammatory reasons to score points etc.

Not sure why the 'Poppy Police' were brought into this one by the previous poster. No need for it.

No need for what? Without them, Matic wouldn't need to make a statement.

So who exactly are the Poppy Police you refer to? A poster on this thread or members of the general public who sometimes complain about the non wearing of poppies.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with someone questioning why some people don't wear a poppy. Matic has given a reasoned response as to why he will not wear one. Good on him. As I said, I hope people now understand.

The Royal British Legion give a good explanation of the 'to wear on not to wear' a poppy. Ultimately it is personal choice. Matic has chosen.

The term Poppy Police is uneccessary and confrontational. Nobody should be called that term because they question why people don't wear one.

pembsexile wrote:

DT1892 wrote:

pembsexile wrote:In a wierd way, by virtue of giving an explanation he has calmed the waters. He would be in much more flack in his homeland if he had worn it compared to the flack he gets here for not wearing it.

Serbia is not exactly a close ally of the West since NATO bombed Serbia when he was 12. Norm says he shouldn't have to explain himself. In this instance, I disagree. I can understand his (Matic) point. Hopefully reasonably informed people will understand now why he chooses not to wear it. For him, it is a valid reason. He hasn't done it for inflammatory reasons to score points etc.

Not sure why the 'Poppy Police' were brought into this one by the previous poster. No need for it.

No need for what? Without them, Matic wouldn't need to make a statement.

So who exactly are the Poppy Police you refer to? A poster on this thread or members of the general public who sometimes complain about the non wearing of poppies.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with someone questioning why some people don't wear a poppy. Matic has given a reasoned response as to why he will not wear one. Good on him. As I said, I hope people now understand.

The Royal British Legion give a good explanation of the 'to wear on not to wear' a poppy. Ultimately it is personal choice. Matic has chosen.

The term Poppy Police is uneccessary and confrontational. Nobody should be called that term because they question why people don't wear one.

If I was referring to anyone in this thread, I'd have quoted them. Nor have I said there is anything wrong with questioning, although it really is nobody else's business.

I used the term to refer to the morons who abuse the likes of McClean and Matic for their perfectly reasonable choice. I'd argue that the abuse thrown at McClean pretty much every time he steps on the pitch is more unnecessary and confrontational IMO.

Pemb's in posting up the view of the Royal British Legion is quite right. Nobody should have to explain why they choose either to wear or not wear a poppy. Those who gave their lives fighting fascism would surely understand this.

My only problem with Matic, is, he has worn a poppy in previous years. Did he suddenly remember NATO’s bombing of his village or was it pointed out to him that it wasn’t wise to wear one with (yet another) international break coming up? IMO Matic, MacLean & others are very well paid by their employer to wear a specific kit. If they don’t wish to wear it, they have made themselves unavailable for selection & are in breach of contract. Ps for all the British Legion saying the poppy isn’t political, it has sadly now become exactly that.

Hazell Stand wrote:I wonder what would happen if one of our players said that he didn’t want to wear one, or we came against a player who refused? What reaction would they get?

Although I wear a poppy myself , they’d get no flak from me, it’s their decision.

My decision to wear one is based on the sacrifices in the first and second world wars.
I’m more than a little dubious about our colonial past and wars of adventure and being partly of Irish extraction could hardly support the British involvement in Eire over the centuries. We should all be free to choose. That’s the sort of freedom a war is perhaps worth fighting for.

It frustrates the hell out of me that you cannot reply after three previous quotes although I must admit I can see the reason why.

Fao dt1892 - I am making a comment specifically about the Matic case. This was the content and the question at the start of the thread. You have brought the Poppy Police and McClean into it.

For Matic, it is his personal choice and because he has explained it, I understand. Fair enough to him.