Sunday, December 05, 2010

A tale of one city?

I'm not really sure what this video is about. It has great production values but comes across as a sort of "promo" for a full length show. Thing is, I can't find any info on whether it is a full length show. The quotes used are taken a million miles out of context and most of them only make sense if you have a deep knowledge of Gencler and Ankaragucu.

I hope this is just a promo, because I'd love to see a full show on this. As the end line says: "Football is sometimes the story of a city". From what I can see the video is hinting at the differences in class or culture of the Genclerbirligi and Ankaragucu fans and possibly therefore the divisions in society in Ankara itself.

Below I've embedded the video and also a rough translation (with some notes). The translation and comment is rough because I couldn't understand some of the Turkish of the Ankaragucu fans (this may have been because I didn't know the context of their statements).

But again, this is ripe stuff for a TV feature. Come on Turkish TV, give it to us.



Starting shot of Ankaragucu fans in the stadium.


Ankaragucu fan: As you can see it is rotten (I think he is referring to the stadium falling apart. EDIT: I now think he is referring to a gecekondu area in Ankara).

Shot of Gencler fans

Genclerbirligi Amigo Nedim:
We are not like the other fan groups. Genclerbirligi fans do not swear. (which is totally true)

Tanil Bora: The two clubs represent two different communities, two different cultural communities, two different social climates.

Ankaragucu fan sitting on midget goal: When you look at it why it is a mass-action then you come across the Ankaragucu reality, there comes the friendships, from there comes the rebellion. (I have no idea what this means or even if I have translated it correctly)

Genclerbirligi fan wearing a Kara Kizil scarf: I'm Nazim, I'm a second year METU university student. I'm from Istanbul but I never miss Genclerbirligi matches. (Love you Nazim!)

Genclerbirligi fan Lale:
If you criticize the team as being elitest, then this is a criticism that is coming from looking from outside without actually knowing the team. (The lovely Lale speaks excellent English by the way, and therefore, by the definitions that drag this country down, is a member of the elite :) )

Ankaragucu fan: Something about Gecekondu (I couldn't catch what he was saying).

Scene of some Ankaragucu fans singing.

Shots of getting into the stadium


Ankaragucu fan wearing a Barcelona top: We are ghetto boys. ... We can't put up the banner (I didn't understand the Turkish, nor the context here)

Banner... "We remember the late Necdet Amca" (which is probably the context)

Genclerbirligi legend: We were established in Ankara, they can look at wherever they were established, but we were established in Ankara. (this is a dig at the fact that Ankaragucu was established in Istanbul and later moved to Ankara)

Ankaragucu fan in the park:
It is a funny comment which is usually made by Genclerbirligi fans.

Ankaragucu fan: Ankaragucu tribunes are the greatest triubnes of the Balkans and the Middle East.

Ankaragucu fans in the shoe shop:
We go to all the matches ... all the cities. (I can't be bothered to mention all the away matches these blokes claim to go to).

Shot of Ankaragucu fans singing to each other.

Shot of Gencler fans singing to Besiktas fans:
Hepiniz Istanbul cocugusunuz (In English this is the quaint "You are all children of Istanbul" but in Turkish it is very very close to the almighty insult that "you are all sons of whores". This is about as close as we get to swearing)

Ankaragucu fan in shoe shop: The person who lives in Ankara and supports an Istanbul team... is not a man. (and not being a man in Turkey is one hell of an insult... unless you are a woman that is)

Endline: Football is sometimes the story of a city

6 comments:

  1. Nice one Oz.

    Funnily enough, the subject of class distinction between rival city teams came up last night in a conversation between Damon and I.

    We discussed the differences in class (and politics) between Juve/Torino and Milan/Inter. We forgot to mention Roma/Lazio !

    I'm sure he will have more to say on this when he reads your post !!

    I have to admit that I didn't mention the 'thing' between Hibs/Hearts. It's something that we Edinburgh folks like to 'brush under the carpet' !!!

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  2. Haven't watched yet but am very much looking forward to doing so. Thanks for posting, Oz.

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  3. Looks great. My guess is that it is either the intro. or a promo clip. Hope I am right.

    I think the fan wearing the Barca top is the Gecekondu tribune leader, by the way.

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  4. Looks like it is a promo clip. Little Oz Kanka was interviewed outside the stadium just before the Gencler-Besiktas match. I wonder if it was these guys.

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  5. This is a project by the Culture Ministry, and indeed Little Oz Kanka was interviewed by them. I wonder if it will make the final cut. You can check out the website of the project here

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  6. Anonymous12:23 pm

    The Gucu chap in the park is a senior figure at ANKA news agency. Names Nuri, I believe.

    Spine

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