Kevin-Prince Boateng And The Issue Of Racism in Football

Today, Kevin-Prince Boateng, along with other AC Milan teammates, were subject to racist chants during a friendly from a minority group of people in the stands. He walked off the pitch, along with his AC Milan teammates, and the match was suspended.

First, I'll say this. I think it was right for Boateng to walk off the pitch and it was even better that the rest of his AC Milan teammates to walk with him. It shows great solidarity, and it shows that AC Milan doesn't tolerate racism. But there is the other side of all this. By walking off the pitch, they are also telling the minority of racist fans that they have the power to affect the outcome of a match, whether the match is suspended, or if the match goes on.

Racism cannot be stopped completely. That is impossible. But racism in football can be reduced to the point where if someone or a group of people engage in racist chanting, the punishment for it towards them and the club they support will be so severe that it deters them and other people from engaging in racist chanting. For that to happen, FIFA, UEFA, and the other continental footballing bodies need to make the hard-line stance that racism is unacceptable.

But will they do that?

It has already shown the FIFA and UEFA are more willing to punish people for conflicting with sponsors' interests than with actually taking a stance with racism, (Nicklas Bendtner, anyone?) and I think I know why this is the case. Sponsors make money for FIFA and UEFA. Racism doesn't make money for FIFA and UEFA. If you mess with the sponsors, expect big fines to come your way, because sponsorship is a big money stream for FIFA and UEFA.

So then how can we make FIFA and UEFA stand up and make a hard-line stance that racism is unacceptable?

There needs to be awareness from supporters and pressure on FIFA and the continental footballing bodies. I don't think it is enough for just supporters to pressure the footballing bodies. Entities like football clubs need to also pressure the footballing bodies and punish those who engage in racist chanting. AC Milan have made their stance today, and it is time for other supporters, players, and clubs to build on it. Despite the recent racial incidents, racism has always been a lingering issue in football. It's time for all of us to put overwhelming pressure on the footballing bodies, and to make this issue obsolete once and for all.

My 2013 Predictions for Toronto FC

2012 was a year to forget for Toronto FC.

9 straight losses to start the season under Aron Winter (which lead to his sacking) and the season ended with a 14 game winless run under Paul Mariner. I don't even want to mention what happened in between, but this season in particular drew a lot of anger from the majority of TFC supporters, myself included. Although TFC management have tried to calm the growing anger and apathy from TFC supporters by lowering season ticket prices and hiring Kevin Payne to take the helm of TFC's football and business operations, there is unfortunately, a toxic fan culture and a deep division between the supporters who stand by TFC management/MLSE, and the supporters who have recognized the faults of the club and are pressuring for change.

Taking into account everything that went on last season (and past seasons), and along with my own judgment, I have compiled a small list of general Toronto FC predictions for 2013. I'll be making some serious Toronto FC predictions, and some outlandish TFC predictions for the new year. I won't waste any more time, so here we go.

Serious Predictions:

Toronto FC will do better than last season (obviously) but they will once again miss the MLS playoffs in their 7th season of existence. After a string of bad results, Paul Mariner will be fired by TFC President Kevin Payne at around the middle of the season, much to the delight of the majority of TFC supporters. The next head coach that TFC brings in will perform noticeably better than Mariner, but he won't be able to get TFC into the playoffs. After watching the performance of the new head coach, TFC supporters will once again be optimistic for the 2014 MLS season.

In regards to the Voyageurs Cup, Toronto FC will beat the Montreal Impact in the semi-final, but they will not win their 5th straight Canadian Championship because they will lose to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the final. This will be one of the factors that will lead to Paul Mariner's sacking in the middle of the season.

Earl Cochrane will give a recommendation to Kevin Payne about a player that "impressed him" and that player will be signed by Toronto FC. That player turns out to be an unmitigated disaster. TFC supporters call for Cochrane to be fired, but he will still keep his position.

Outlandish Predictions (don't take these seriously):

- Eric Hassli will become the MLS top scorer for the 2013 season with 22 goals. He will be labeled a legend by TFC supporters, but not as much of a legend as Danny Dichio.

- An investment group from Abu Dhabi offers to buy Toronto FC from MLSE, with one of the promises to supporters being the installation of a roof on the BMO Field stands. MLSE refuses to sell.

- Bitchy the Hawk breaks loose from her tether and kills a seagull in the middle of the BMO Field pitch. The crowd erupts in jubilation, as the players run for cover from her wrath.

And there you have it, those are my serious and outlandish predictions for 2013. The 2013 MLS season will be interesting for Toronto FC, that's for sure.