The Frank Lampard "F*ck Off" Incident

[Kjbert]

Read on Twitter today that Frank told fans to F Off after the game.

Anyone know the background on this? My immediate reaction is that this is terrible, but if he was being harassed, I have no problem with it, other than the fact it wreaks of a lack of professionalism.

 

[Lasker]

From Dnigly13:

So fat frank came over to section 103 after the game to give Chelsea fans a football. @adam and I yelled at him that we don't hate him cause he was injured, we had him cause he stayed at Manchester. Well he said "fuck off" to us.

From Adam:

Yes. Exactly how it happened. Backstory tho, I didn't yell at him sarcastically after the RB match "how's your calf". But then after hearing his interview that he thought we hated him bc he was injured, I felt compelled to clarify the situation. So I yelled to him "Frank it's not bc you're injured, it's bc you played for man city". And that's when we got the "fuck off" and look of death. @sbrylski can also confirm.

 

[Kjbert]

I always think a professional athlete should just ignore the taunts - especially a guy that went into some seedy places playing in England - but if you act like a jackass, why are you surprised when someone responds?

 

[Jack]

I'm friends with adam so I paid attention when Frank walked over to his section with a signed ball. From my seats on opposite side of the the field Frank looked mad walking back from the stands.

Probably not Adam's fault, I don't think Frank likes playing here and its been accumulating inside Frank.

 

[Ulrich]

I always think a professional athlete should just ignore the taunts - especially a guy that went into some seedy places playing in England - but if you act like a jackass, why are you surprised when someone responds?

I'm not sure that Adam acted as a jackass though.... Frank probably thought so, but Frank also thought the booing during the RB game was because of his injury, so he's not exactly clued in. All Adam did was clarify for Frank's benefit - because Frank went on public record with not knowing - and if anything Frank should of had an ah-ha type moment of reflection (oh wait, that makes sense that the fans are still pissed I missed half of last season when they were told I'd be there from the start and I did a ton of PR saying so). Instead, Frank did what nearly all professional athletes do, and fired back with foul retort that he was (so far) lucky to not have been caught on video.

 

[doctorhoosier]

I'm not sure that Adam acted as a jackass though.... Frank probably thought so, but Frank also thought the booing during the RB game was because of his injury, so he's not exactly clued in. All Adam did was clarify for Frank's benefit - because Frank went on public record with not knowing - and if anything Frank should of had an ah-ha type moment of reflection (oh wait, that makes sense that the fans are still pissed I missed half of last season when they were told I'd be there from the start and I did a ton of PR saying so). Instead, Frank did what nearly all professional athletes do, and fired back with foul retort that he was (so far) lucky to not have been caught on video.

Well, sure, if you think Frank actually gives a shit about what the local fans think. I don't think he does.

I've said this a few times, but he's not playing for us in the stands as much as he is a token to build a new fanbase for the club back in England. The Euro spots he's doing, the meet ups with Chelsea fans last year, the tourism BS on his instagram -- this is all about the fans back home who, the club hopes, are going to stick with the club after Frank leaves. The "injury" thing feels, to me, like an easy way to pass the blame onto the dumb Yanks in the stands. And Frank's English fanbase, let's be honest, likely doesn't have a high opinion of the US' collective knowledge of the sport, anyway.

Call it tinfoil all you want, but considering CFG's focus on cohesion between the clubs, the whole Lampard debacle felt like a poorly executed ploy to win English fans (and not really Americans) over to the new club. Just my take.

 

[Ulrich]

Well, sure, if you think Frank actually gives a shit about what the local fans think. I don't think he does.

I've said this a few times, but he's not playing for us in the stands as much as he is a token to build a new fanbase for the club back in England. The Euro spots he's doing, the meet ups with Chelsea fans last year, the tourism BS on his instagram -- this is all about the fans back home who, the club hopes, are going to stick with the club after Frank leaves. The "injury" thing feels, to me, like an easy way to pass the blame onto the dumb Yanks in the stands. And Frank's English fanbase, let's be honest, likely doesn't have a high opinion of the US' collective knowledge of the sport, anyway.

Call it tinfoil all you want, but considering CFG's focus on cohesion between the clubs, the whole Lampard debacle felt like a poorly executed ploy to win English fans (and not really Americans) over to the new club. Just my take.

I don't think he gives a shit, which is why he acted like a jack-ass with his response. My point was that Adam didn't do anything to warrant such a response.

 

[doctorhoosier]

I don't think he gives a shit, which is why he acted like a jack-ass with his response. My point was that Adam didn't do anything to warrant such a response.

I don't disagree at all.

 

[Kjbert]

Listen - I wasn't there. 99% of us weren't there.

But your contention is that there was nothing aggressive about how the initial interaction with Lampard went? Could the poster in question have maybe been a little kinder - or just kept his mouth shut?

The more I think about this, it doesn't bother me that much. I could care less about Lampard or how he reacts anymore. I've moved on mentally.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Well, sure, if you think Frank actually gives a shit about what the local fans think. I don't think he does.

I've said this a few times, but he's not playing for us in the stands as much as he is a token to build a new fanbase for the club back in England. The Euro spots he's doing, the meet ups with Chelsea fans last year, the tourism BS on his instagram -- this is all about the fans back home who, the club hopes, are going to stick with the club after Frank leaves. The "injury" thing feels, to me, like an easy way to pass the blame onto the dumb Yanks in the stands. And Frank's English fanbase, let's be honest, likely doesn't have a high opinion of the US' collective knowledge of the sport, anyway.

Call it tinfoil all you want, but considering CFG's focus on cohesion between the clubs, the whole Lampard debacle felt like a poorly executed ploy to win English fans (and not really Americans) over to the new club. Just my take.

Was watching on Sky last night and the british announcers were talking about how dumb it was that the fans were booing him because of his injury. Then they creamed their pants every time he touched the ball.

 

[Paul]

I'm generally against booing or harassing my team's players, but I'm ok with it under the circumstances of the Red Bull Wedding (that day only) and the entire Lampard fiasco (has any other player/club in the world committed this type of player-acquisition fraud?). I think under those extreme circumstances fans have every right. But with that said, I also think Frank has the right to talk some shit right back (and Jack has the right to defend his mentor if he so chooses to put himself in the line of fire for that lying, arrogant scumbag). For me, the bottom line is that all of this could have been avoided with a simple goddamn apology, but Frank still holds the opinion that he did nothing wrong and we're all a bunch of dumb American wankers.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

I'm generally against booing or harassing my team's players, but I'm ok with it under the circumstances of the Red Bull Wedding (that day only) and the entire Lampard fiasco (has any other player/club in the world committed this type of player-acquisition fraud?). I think under those extreme circumstances fans have every right. But with that said, I also think Frank has the right to talk some shit right back (and Jack has the right to defend his mentor if he so chooses to put himself in the line of fire for that lying, arrogant scumbag). For me, the bottom line is that all of this could have been avoided with a simple goddamn apology, but Frank still holds the opinion that he did nothing wrong and we're all a bunch of dumb American wankers.

Frank is basically one of Midas Mulligan 's friends from Manchester

 

[Taurus]

Everybody does what they want. For me personally, I was ok with the booing when he came back for the NJRB game but I don't think it should continue any longer. The (perceived) point was made. Anything more just adds more negativity all around on all aspects of the club to an already precarious situation. We should just hope he can play well for the remainder of the year and that's it.

 

[sbrylski]

I was standing next to Adam when this happened. I believe that Lampard heard people yelling at him, but probably didn't know what was being said. Adam wasn't trying to be malicious, but Lampard reacted instantly and negatively. You can tell the crowd's opinion of him is in his head.

Part of me feels bad for Lampard, who made a series of fairly rational decisions, from his perspective. From the fans perspective, there are so many other factors. Both sides have justification for feeling the way they do. Just a shitty situation that I'm sure everyone will be happy when it's over.

 

[Ulrich]

I was standing next to Adam when this happened. I believe that Lampard heard people yelling at him, but probably didn't know what was being said. Adam wasn't trying to be malicious, but Lampard reacted instantly and negatively. You can tell the crowd's opinion of him is in his head.

Part of me feels bad for Lampard, who made a series of fairly rational decisions, from his perspective. From the fans perspective, there are so many other factors. Both sides have justification for feeling the way they do. Just a shitty situation that I'm sure everyone will be happy when it's over.

I fear for his sanity next Halloween when kids run around in ghost costumes yelling Boo!

 

[adam]

I'll be as honest and objective as I can about this. I was drinking, I yelled it at him (but it's only way he would hear me), I didn't have a friendly tone in my voice, but I didn't curse at him or call him names. I just said what we all say here; it's not the injury, it's that he went to man city. I wish I could have clarified further and said he chose man city over us, since I hope he didn't think I was just a man city hater. But I think he understood none the less. Don't think I deserved his retort, but I'm still not sure he gets it either. I'm a big boy, my feelings aren't hurt by what he said. But I'm thinking he just doesn't care to explain himself to me or any of us. And what he said was the easiest thing for him to say to tell me to get lost.

 

[Lasker]

A heckling story from a random guy at a bar:

Watching the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez is at bat. Guy waits until everyone is relatively quiet just as the pitcher is winding up and yells "A-ROID" at the top of his lungs right as the pitch is thrown.

And now I quote:

"And I know he heard me because I chose my moment. But you know what? He hit a double on that pitch.


Now that's the mark of a true professional!"

Dude don't even hate the guy, just wanted to be heard, even admired A-Rod for it. Kind of funny.

Not saying you have the same thinking. That kind of interaction isn't my thing but I get it and it is part of what makes live sports great.

 

[BxLio91]

I don't think its a big deal. He didn't physically attack anyone, he has the right to react like that if he feels slighted even if I don't agree with him. Hopefully this sours him enough so he doesn't resign here.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Count me in the "don't give a shit what he said" crowd. He's wank, we know it, not surprising given the dynamics at work here. But he had some horrendous touches, making the bolded part of Tom's post the most baffling aspect.

Was watching on Sky last night and the british announcers were talking about how dumb it was that the fans were booing him because of his injury. Then they creamed their pants every time he touched the ball.

 

[SoupInNYC]

I'll be as honest and objective as I can about this. I was drinking, I yelled it at him (but it's only way he would hear me), I didn't have a friendly tone in my voice, but I didn't curse at him or call him names. I just said what we all say here; it's not the injury, it's that he went to man city. I wish I could have clarified further and said he chose man city over us, since I hope he didn't think I was just a man city hater. But I think he understood none the less. Don't think I deserved his retort, but I'm still not sure he gets it either. I'm a big boy, my feelings aren't hurt by what he said. But I'm thinking he just doesn't care to explain himself to me or any of us. And what he said was the easiest thing for him to say to tell me to get lost.

Do you think he heard/understood what you said? Or is it possible that he just heard shouts coming his way?