On this week's troubles

[Hoozen]

an interesting, if inconclusive article taken from Yahoo!...

On this week's events...

LONDON (Reuters) - If the ugly scenes witnessed in Rome and Seville are anything to go by the unattractive face of the Beautiful Game has come snarling back to life.

Manchester United fans in Italy and Tottenham Hotspur supporters in Spain have clashed with baton-wielding riot police during United's Champions League match against AS Roma and Spurs' UEFA Cup game against Sevilla.

It is too early to judge for sure whether what has happened heralds a return to the dark ages of the 1970s and 1980s when English fans exported a particular brand of thuggery.

Wednesday's events in Rome and Thursday's in Seville have involved travelling English fans and some heavy-handed police brutality rather than old-fashioned fighting between rival sets of supporters - although there was something of that involved.

What is certain is that these incidents are just the latest in a growing number of violent confrontations at high-profile European matches and UEFA, and its new president Michel Platini, need to act fast to nip this growing problem in the bud before football is pitched back into the mess of two decades ago.

UEFA should go beyond punishing clubs with paltry fines and ground closures and consider kicking out every club which cannot police and steward fans safely.

English clubs have learnt their lessons from the disasters of the past with safe grounds, modern stadiums and, in the main, excellent security control at matches played in England.

Now UEFA should ensure that every other country emulates England's domestic standards -- or refuse clubs permission to play in their competitions.

FAR WORSE

Wednesday's violence in Rome appears to have been far worse than that which occurred in Seville, even though a number of Spurs fans ended up in hospital.

What UEFA needs to establish immediately is what has caused two similar incidents in two countries 24 hours apart.

To paint a picture of innocent Manchester United and Spurs fans being provoked by aggressive Roma or Sevilla supporters and then battered by vicious Italian and Spanish police would be too simplistic.

There is often an under-current of potential violence among groups of English fans both at home and in Europe.

However, suggestions made on Thursday by Italian officials that United fans came looking for trouble appear wide of the mark. The ones with the weapons were the Roma fans and the Italian police and most of those on the receiving end were United fans.

Without doubt, stadium security in Italy is not as good as it is in England. The death of Italian policeman Filippo Raciti during rioting at a Serie A match between Catania and Palermo in early February was proof of that.

Measures have since been taken to improve the security at many of Italy's outdated grounds.

SERIOUS CONCERN

The structures, however, are only part of the problem. Wednesday night's violence highlighted the other serious concern -- who is responsible for the safety of fans once inside the ground.

At the moment city councils send in ordinary police, who do little more than keep rivals supporters apart.

Many in the country have suggested that the clubs themselves should take responsibility for safety by employing specially-trained stewards to stamp out violent behaviour by individuals before it spreads.

For those who follow Italian football closely, the images of policemen thumping fans are depressingly familiar.

But the rank and file of Italian police are, in the main, poorly paid and do a thankless job. The average Italian policeman earns about 1,400 euros a month. They do not get extra for keeping rival sets of fans apart on matchdays.

Faced with 5,000 angry Manchester United fans, who were shouting words they did not understand and who were trying to break through their lines to reach the taunting Roma supporters the Italian police lost their cool and lashed out.

Where this leaves Italy's bid for Euro 2012 is anybody's guess.

Though the bid is considered a strong favorite to beat off rival joint bids by Hungary and Croatia, and Poland and Ukraine, the images will still be fresh in the minds of UEFA's executive committee when they vote in Cardiff on April 18.

But unless UEFA are certain that a match can be policed properly, that properly trained stewards search fans on arrival and the risk of danger to home and visiting fans is minimal, they should not sanction a game to take place.

President Platini has many problems to solve in his new job and making sure international events can take place in modern safe conditions in places like Rome and Seville must be at the top of his agenda.

Opinions?

[Powerage]

One difference I believe between the 2 incidents was that we had club officials as another line of resistance between us at the pigs?

Man United fans should NEVER have charged at the Roma fans, if they hadn't I believe they would be pretty blameless.

The problems arrive when the opposing supporters goad or wind-up English fans too the point where they have too fight back, nothing is done about that but English supporters get it in the neck everytime.

I believe Juventus were never punished over Heysel, yet its reported that the trouble started when the wops wound up the Liverpool fans and when they reacted the Juve fans shat emselves.

Because of our history, the Italians will get away with this while us English will get it in the neck. I have no idea what started the Spurs riots in Sevilla, I heard it was started because our lads got pissed at the referee and started shouting abuse over the penalty too which the pigs got unhappy about and waded in.

May I also point out I have the upmost respect for the police, but the behaviour of their forces in Europe are a disgrace and they behaved like animals.