Croatian footballer to miss World Cup over fascist greeting

Good. No adult Croat can claim they don't know what that phrase implies.

I don't get it. Croaria has been independent for 23 years.

They solved their problems with Western help and now they are integrated into all the main Western institutions, chief among them NATO and the EU.

Serbs are not likely to be able to return and neither Serbia itself, let alone any other bordering nations, present any threat to them.

Moreover, they live in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe, and one that I always love to visit.

They are safe.

So why does this fanaticism continue? Why the ongoing hatred of Serbs among some, and a deep-seated suspicion of Serbs among many others? Why do they insist on continuing to build their nationhood on this foundation of hatred?

Within ten years of the end of World War Two, the bloodiest war in European and world history, the old enemies of Europe were cooperating again and the hatred had long before stopped, though the atrocities had not been forgotten, nor should they be.

As a Briton I acknowledge and accept the darker aspects of my country's past, as do the Germans and Russians.

And so should Croats if they want to survive and move forward.

Good. Now he can go back to Australia where he came from and spremni za retirement.

It's funny how they claim they didn't know what they were doing when caught.
At least be a man about it and admit it.
Cowards, only brave when they don't think they will be caught or have to suffer the consequences.

A good move from FIFA. Only sad the the Croatian football clubs and officials are not able or willing to do similar things on their own.

Good we found a footballer and we're gonna turn him into a scapegoat. In the meantime the croatian state is a revival of the ustasa state, it was built upon ustasa ideology which is still omnipresent in modern Croatia, people organise demonstrations against the cyrillic alphabet, anything serbian is synonymous to evil, Ante Gotovina and the rest of the croatian military leaders were either acquitted or never tried for their crimes and despite all that Croatia joined the EU and all the other euroatlantic institutions where only supposedly democratic countries take part. But when a footballer, whose national team has just made it to the world cup, shouts an ustasa greeting in the heat and the joy of the moment, now that's unacceptable. What utter hypocrisy.

No adult Croat can claim they don't know what that phrase implies.
(Andy UK, 13 May 2014 12:43)

wait for it wait for it wait for it ah here he is...

Once again I need to teach the poorly educated Serbs who don't know history.
(Bam Bam, 14 May 2014 15:49)

Thanks "kid" for walking in to your own punchline. Again.

You're all forgetting that maybe he didn't even want to play in the World Cup. That's why he said 'za dom'. Simunic is finally getting what he wanted... for the home, no longer the stadium. Good riddance.

"As a Croatian who was born and grew up outside my homeland, I associate home with love, warmth and positive struggle" - Josip Simunic

The chant was the rallying cry of Croatia’s World War II Ustase regime, allied to Nazi Germany, which killed hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, anti-fascist Croatians, Roma and others.

It doesn't matter what spin the likes of Simunic and Bam Bam say to try and minimize the dark history of Croatia - the Court of Arbitration for Sport doesn't believe them and they have the final word.

Simunic is finally getting what he wanted... for the home, no longer the stadium. Good riddance.
(MikeD, 14 May 2014 06:02)

LOL good one :)

I Quote -

As a Briton I acknowledge and accept the darker aspects of my country's past, as do the Germans and Russians.

And so should Croats if they want to survive and move forward.
(TP, 13 May 2014 13:51)

Comment - Briton what - Anglosaxon or Kelt ?

Do you think Your Conflict is over ? - NO - it will Rise again,
Civil War it will be.

Do you think some 1500 Years of Slaughter - Supression - and Opressionwill will not be revenged ?

By the way - Croatia will not survive nor the Croatians.

Arn.Sweden.

Once again I need to teach the poorly educated Serbs who don't know history. Za Dom Spremni was first used by Croats during the ottoman era to fight off unfriendly's. Every generation since then have hijacked the saying claiming its theirs. Serb lead YU was the problem. Twisting history to suit the Serbs by inflating casualties to 'attempt' to discredit Croats, It didn't work as their are more Jews living in Croatia today than in Serbia. ZDS will always be remembered as the fight against ottoman rule while ' Za Narod Svoj' will be remembered as the true expression of the Domobrani Ustase. So there you have it you retarded Yugoslavians.

maybe Aussie Croats and Serbs can kind of reconcile in Australia into some kind of rarified "more Serb or Croat than Serbs and Croatians" kind of new identity that they're all super proud of.
(Danilo, 15 May 2014 11:13)

LOL they'd kill each other first over a correct reading of World War II. But yes, diaspora nationalism - especially coming from those a generation or more removed from whatever homeland one of their ancestors came from, carries overcompensating patriotism to comically irrational levels.

It's funny how they claim they didn't know what they were doing when caught.
At least be a man about it and admit it.
Cowards, only brave when they don't think they will be caught or have to suffer the consequences.
(Peggy, 13 May 2014 13:54)

He is probably your next door neighbor. You are an Aussie just like him.

He is an Aussie. Is it a reflection of Australian society?
(Ian, UK, 14 May 2014 11:00)
===============================
He is an Aussie when it suits him but I am sure he is a Croat in his heart, just like the rest of them.
Ever listened to a Croatian program on the radio in Melbourne?

He is an Aussie when it suits him but I am sure he is a Croat in his heart, just like the rest of them.
Ever listened to a Croatian program on the radio in Melbourne?
(Peggy, 15 May 2014 02:40)

god. I can only imagine. I've been reading some Croatian-Australian blogs after the Milanovic visit there. The lunatic factor is through the roof. I actually believe that Australian Croats might be even more lunatic than Australian Serbs and we can see on this site that the loonier opinions come from the Aussies, so that's saying a lot.

So since Aussie Croats basically hate Croatia because it's not extremist enough and Aussie Serbs feel the same way about Serbia - they LOVE it, it's who they ARE, but actually hate it in reality - maybe Aussie Croats and Serbs can kind of reconcile in Australia into some kind of rarified "more Serb or Croat than Serbs and Croatians" kind of new identity that they're all super proud of.

That's my proposal.

Thanasis, you are right. In many ways what he did is mare reflection of Croatian society, and European Union societies in general. What's the big deal?
(XXX, 14 May 2014 08:06)

He is an Aussie. Is it a reflection of Australian society?

Thanasis, you are right. In many ways what he did is mare reflection of Croatian society, and European Union societies in general. What's the big deal?

@Arn.Sweden

It will not survive? LOL! You know what is funny...this is exactly what the German nationalists were writing and saying back in the 18th and 19th century...including Karl Marx himself. Here were are over 150 years later and they are still here and will be here. You should be more worried about Sweden which is currently being overrun by immigrants from 3rd world countries, sucking the life of it through ridiculous social policies and ridiculous levels of political correctness which undermine the very core of your nation.

Besides who cares what will happen in 150 years anyway...no one alive today will be among the living...

A good move from FIFA. Only sad the the Croatian football clubs and officials are not able or willing to do similar things on their own.
(Comm. Parrisson, 13 May 2014 14:42)

As if Serbians are any different with their Chetnik chants. Croats didnt use the phrase in any hateful manner. They are refeering to U Boj U Boj, a song from the 1800s. yet Serbs must twist anything Croats say or due into a negative outome out of continueouse jealousey. Mad about the failed deffense from the Ottomans I see. ;)

Once again I need to teach the poorly educated Serbs who don't know history. Za Dom Spremni was first used by Croats during the ottoman era to fight off unfriendly's. Every generation since then have hijacked the saying claiming its theirs. Serb lead YU was the problem. Twisting history to suit the Serbs by inflating casualties to 'attempt' to discredit Croats, It didn't work as their are more Jews living in Croatia today than in Serbia. ZDS will always be remembered as the fight against ottoman rule while ' Za Narod Svoj' will be remembered as the true expression of the Domobrani Ustase. So there you have it you retarded Yugoslavians.

It's funny how they claim they didn't know what they were doing when caught.
At least be a man about it and admit it.
Cowards, only brave when they don't think they will be caught or have to suffer the consequences.
(Peggy, 13 May 2014 13:54)

He is probably your next door neighbor. You are an Aussie just like him.

Thanasis, you are right. In many ways what he did is mare reflection of Croatian society, and European Union societies in general. What's the big deal?
(XXX, 14 May 2014 08:06)

He is an Aussie. Is it a reflection of Australian society?

It's funny how they claim they didn't know what they were doing when caught.
At least be a man about it and admit it.
Cowards, only brave when they don't think they will be caught or have to suffer the consequences.

I Quote -

As a Briton I acknowledge and accept the darker aspects of my country's past, as do the Germans and Russians.

And so should Croats if they want to survive and move forward.
(TP, 13 May 2014 13:51)

Comment - Briton what - Anglosaxon or Kelt ?

Do you think Your Conflict is over ? - NO - it will Rise again,
Civil War it will be.

Do you think some 1500 Years of Slaughter - Supression - and Opressionwill will not be revenged ?

By the way - Croatia will not survive nor the Croatians.

Arn.Sweden.

Thanasis, you are right. In many ways what he did is mare reflection of Croatian society, and European Union societies in general. What's the big deal?

I don't get it. Croaria has been independent for 23 years.

They solved their problems with Western help and now they are integrated into all the main Western institutions, chief among them NATO and the EU.

Serbs are not likely to be able to return and neither Serbia itself, let alone any other bordering nations, present any threat to them.

Moreover, they live in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe, and one that I always love to visit.

They are safe.

So why does this fanaticism continue? Why the ongoing hatred of Serbs among some, and a deep-seated suspicion of Serbs among many others? Why do they insist on continuing to build their nationhood on this foundation of hatred?

Within ten years of the end of World War Two, the bloodiest war in European and world history, the old enemies of Europe were cooperating again and the hatred had long before stopped, though the atrocities had not been forgotten, nor should they be.

As a Briton I acknowledge and accept the darker aspects of my country's past, as do the Germans and Russians.

And so should Croats if they want to survive and move forward.

A good move from FIFA. Only sad the the Croatian football clubs and officials are not able or willing to do similar things on their own.

No adult Croat can claim they don't know what that phrase implies.
(Andy UK, 13 May 2014 12:43)

wait for it wait for it wait for it ah here he is...

Once again I need to teach the poorly educated Serbs who don't know history.
(Bam Bam, 14 May 2014 15:49)

Thanks "kid" for walking in to your own punchline. Again.

He is an Aussie. Is it a reflection of Australian society?
(Ian, UK, 14 May 2014 11:00)
===============================
He is an Aussie when it suits him but I am sure he is a Croat in his heart, just like the rest of them.
Ever listened to a Croatian program on the radio in Melbourne?

@Arn.Sweden

It will not survive? LOL! You know what is funny...this is exactly what the German nationalists were writing and saying back in the 18th and 19th century...including Karl Marx himself. Here were are over 150 years later and they are still here and will be here. You should be more worried about Sweden which is currently being overrun by immigrants from 3rd world countries, sucking the life of it through ridiculous social policies and ridiculous levels of political correctness which undermine the very core of your nation.

Besides who cares what will happen in 150 years anyway...no one alive today will be among the living...

Good. No adult Croat can claim they don't know what that phrase implies.

Good. Now he can go back to Australia where he came from and spremni za retirement.

Good we found a footballer and we're gonna turn him into a scapegoat. In the meantime the croatian state is a revival of the ustasa state, it was built upon ustasa ideology which is still omnipresent in modern Croatia, people organise demonstrations against the cyrillic alphabet, anything serbian is synonymous to evil, Ante Gotovina and the rest of the croatian military leaders were either acquitted or never tried for their crimes and despite all that Croatia joined the EU and all the other euroatlantic institutions where only supposedly democratic countries take part. But when a footballer, whose national team has just made it to the world cup, shouts an ustasa greeting in the heat and the joy of the moment, now that's unacceptable. What utter hypocrisy.

He is an Aussie when it suits him but I am sure he is a Croat in his heart, just like the rest of them.
Ever listened to a Croatian program on the radio in Melbourne?
(Peggy, 15 May 2014 02:40)

god. I can only imagine. I've been reading some Croatian-Australian blogs after the Milanovic visit there. The lunatic factor is through the roof. I actually believe that Australian Croats might be even more lunatic than Australian Serbs and we can see on this site that the loonier opinions come from the Aussies, so that's saying a lot.

So since Aussie Croats basically hate Croatia because it's not extremist enough and Aussie Serbs feel the same way about Serbia - they LOVE it, it's who they ARE, but actually hate it in reality - maybe Aussie Croats and Serbs can kind of reconcile in Australia into some kind of rarified "more Serb or Croat than Serbs and Croatians" kind of new identity that they're all super proud of.

That's my proposal.

You're all forgetting that maybe he didn't even want to play in the World Cup. That's why he said 'za dom'. Simunic is finally getting what he wanted... for the home, no longer the stadium. Good riddance.

Simunic is finally getting what he wanted... for the home, no longer the stadium. Good riddance.
(MikeD, 14 May 2014 06:02)

LOL good one :)

"As a Croatian who was born and grew up outside my homeland, I associate home with love, warmth and positive struggle" - Josip Simunic

The chant was the rallying cry of Croatia’s World War II Ustase regime, allied to Nazi Germany, which killed hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, anti-fascist Croatians, Roma and others.

It doesn't matter what spin the likes of Simunic and Bam Bam say to try and minimize the dark history of Croatia - the Court of Arbitration for Sport doesn't believe them and they have the final word.

maybe Aussie Croats and Serbs can kind of reconcile in Australia into some kind of rarified "more Serb or Croat than Serbs and Croatians" kind of new identity that they're all super proud of.
(Danilo, 15 May 2014 11:13)

LOL they'd kill each other first over a correct reading of World War II. But yes, diaspora nationalism - especially coming from those a generation or more removed from whatever homeland one of their ancestors came from, carries overcompensating patriotism to comically irrational levels.

A good move from FIFA. Only sad the the Croatian football clubs and officials are not able or willing to do similar things on their own.
(Comm. Parrisson, 13 May 2014 14:42)

As if Serbians are any different with their Chetnik chants. Croats didnt use the phrase in any hateful manner. They are refeering to U Boj U Boj, a song from the 1800s. yet Serbs must twist anything Croats say or due into a negative outome out of continueouse jealousey. Mad about the failed deffense from the Ottomans I see. ;)