I was at the ground that day. The walk of Granit Xhaka off the field was something I had never seen before or since. I have seen players booed off the field sure, but how Xhaka responded was nothing other than human. Was it right? No. But do you get everything right?
The difference between almost all of the people reading this and Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka though was summed up by the midfielder in his interview with Players’ Tribune. Attacks on him. His wife. His child. Continuously, non-stop. Every match. Every post.
What is it going to take for it to stop? For you to stop? For you, the social media companies to stop? Does it take a player taking their own life before more is done to combat the abuse online is tackled more strictly? Because that is not an extreme suggestion.
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This isn’t about policing criticism. A fan can criticise. I criticise all the time. Take the weekend against Brighton. Mikel Arteta made errors in the team selection that directly impacted the result in my opinion.
This is about preventing the abuse of players, coaches and fellow fans. What is said online, behind a cowardly wall of anonymity, in most cases, would never be said in person. Social media has become a vehicle for hate and Xhaka has been a big target of it.
Xhaka posted to Instagram in the wake of the incident in 2019. He explained some of the comments he had received.
"My feeling of not being understood by fans, and repeated abusive comments at matches and in social media over the last weeks and months have hurt me deeply," he wrote on Instagram.
"People have said things like 'We will break your legs', 'Kill your wife' and 'Wish that your daughter gets cancer'. That has stirred me up and I reached boiling point when I felt the rejection in the stadium on Sunday."
Speaking on the interview released today he said of the incident: “Listen, I have never had a problem with criticism. Was Xhaka s*** today? O.K. No problem. But to be booed by your own fans? As captain? That is different. That is about respect. This word has always been huge for me, ever since I was a kid. It’s something I got from my mother. Respect for your parents. Respect for your club, your teammates, your fans.”
It is clear in the two-plus years since, Granit Xhaka has allowed the incident to mature and he speaks about it with hindsight and clarity. The debate as to whether booing in stadiums is wrong is a tough one. Is it disrespectful as Xhaka says? Looks like it is splinters for me as I remain on the fence. However, at that moment the ferocity and visceral nature of the noise was enough to sway most in the direction of agreeing it was wrong.
What is certainly wrong, however is the comments. The abuse. The threats. Fans telling Xhaka or any other individual to ‘f*** ***’ or worse. Freedom of speech? Sure, but it isn’t freedom from scrutiny. What is being said is wrong. Some might describe this as being a ‘snowflake.’ Often the go-to word to try and justify abusive verbal attacks on others.
From listening to Xhaka I doubt many more people have thicker skin than him. The abuse suffered throughout a single season might be more than most could suffer in a lifetime.
Where we go from here is change. We cannot control other people’s actions just make them more aware of their impact. Reporting abuse is always the go-to. Once you do, you have done what you can, and it will remain on the powers at be to establish greater forms of sanctioning to those who do.
Xhaka has been a crucial part of Arsenal’s midfield for many years. Often outperforming record midfield signing Thomas Partey. Arsenal are going to need him in the weeks to come if there remains any hope to qualify for the top four. A testament to his quality and leadership.
