Lots of question marks, lots of uncertainty: the waterfall model could hit the average football fan hard

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My fan soul is pretty tense right now. The next game day approaches, and with it the usual emotional mix of nervousness, anger and hope that cannot be empirically substantiated that this weekend will be different than last time.

I like the unpredictability of what happens on the field. Next to him, in the stands of the stadium, as a fan, I prefer consistency. The meeting place with friends before the game is always the same, just like our place on the curve. And if I had my choice, the good sausage stand with a charcoal grill in front of the stadium would still be open.

Uncertainty and many question marks

I’ve been a GC fan since I was a kid. For me, nothing has been the same for a long time. And certainly not consistently. However, the measures planned by the authorities for next season to limit violence by fans now make me, as a fan, even more uncertain and leave many question marks.

My Hoppers will host St. Gallen on Saturday. There’s a lot at stake for both teams. Mutual sympathy between the two fan camps is limited, to put it mildly. Do they set off fireworks and firecrackers around corners? Confident enough.

If the new cascade model is adopted, fans could be subject to surveillance in such cases from next season. A “testing phase” that I can’t do anything about with a beer in my hand. And yet I know that it won’t take long and I, too, will feel the harsh consequences. “Rapid Fan Curve Closing” is one of the penalties listed next in the Cascade Model Catalog.

Depending on the actions of strangers

I don’t know ultras who want to show their support with torches, smoke bombs and firecrackers. I was also not familiar with the GC fans who fought with FCZ members after a tram ride in late January on the eve of the derby, including causing damage to property. My existence as a fan is now inevitably linked to the actions of these people.

What if the two factions clash again somewhere in the city within a week? Would it be better if I came up with an alternative program for the weekend because there is a risk of closing the curve?

Should I stop turning?

What if, on the way back from an away match, the special train makes an unscheduled emergency stop while opposing fans are already waiting outside? Do I treat myself with a preventive subscription to the opponent’s position, so that the authorities’ measures will affect me only at the fifth and final stage of the cascade model, when ghost games are planned?

What if, like last fall, fan communities unite in new protests, moving to other sectors of the stadiums and thereby putting the concept of club safety to a severe test?

GK is giving me enough drama on the field now. As a fan, I would happily do without another show.

Source: Blick