It would appear that the boo boys were out in full force in South Africa this past weekend as Kaizer Chiefs and Amazulu fell foul of the wrath of their own supporters.
Just 20 minutes into the Soweto derby on Saturday, a section of the Chiefs fans began to boo Kingston Nkhatha after the striker had made a less than stellar start to the game. On Sunday, Amazulu captain and goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini left the field in tears after his side lost the Kwa-Zulu Natal derby 2-0 to Maritzburg United, a result that came on the back of a 7-1 hammering at the hands of Sundowns, with Amazulu fans hurling abuse and various objects at him.
In both cases, the fans had reasons to be annoyed. With so much riding on the result of the Chiefs/Pirates match for the supporters, frustration at Nkhatha's failure to execute the basics early on would certainly be frustrating. Likewise, having seen Kapini concede nine goals in two matches, the Usuthu faithful would not have been alone in their disappointment.
However, does this justify booing their own team? And if so, just what are supporters who boo trying to achieve?
A common argument is that fans have paid their hard-earned money to watch that match and as such they have every right to voice their dissatisfaction. Perhaps if you are in attendance simply to watch a game of football then you can claim you're being denied your money's worth by poor performances, but does a 'real' supporter turn on one's team so quickly?
It's clear that booing does not help the players on the pitch. Speaking after Chiefs secured a 1-1 draw, manager Stuart Baxter told The Sowetan that the booing was "madness" and "amateurish", but perhaps most important was his statement regarding how the players feel: "it's despised by everyone in the Kaizer Chiefs dressing room", he said of the boos.
Switching the focus back to Durban, Amazulu boss Craig Rosslee conceded that Kapini may be rested for the club's next fixture, suggesting that the mental toll on the player had become too much.
With this in mind, one can say that booing negatively affects the team and individual players who may be targeted. Is this what a supporter would want to achieve? If they have the club's best interests at heart then of course not.
Unfortunately there could be an added agenda to the boos in these two cases, with both Nkhatha and Kapini being Zimbabwean nationals.
It's pertinent to note that it's not only in South Africa where the behaviour of fans was anything but loyal.
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas admitted his disappointment that the White Hart Lane faithful had made their match against Hull seem more like an away fixture, as they failed to get behind their side who were unable to break down a resolute Tigers defence until 10 minutes from time.
Elsewhere in London, Fernando Torres was on the receiving end of some stick from the Chelsea fans after missing a few early chances against Manchester City. The Spaniard bounced back to set up the Blues' opener before nabbing a winner late in the piece. Suddenly he was a hero again as his name reverberated around Stamford Bridge.
And perhaps here lies the primary point - the fortunes of players and teams can turn in an instant. If you're a supporter of the team and wish to celebrate their successes then you shouldn't be the first to jump on their backs when matters don't go according to plan - you take the good with the bad. There are enough opposition supporters to let them know when they've done badly; as a fan it's your job to remind your team that you're still behind them even when they're down and then to revel in their success when it comes. There is no place for booing your own team no matter how angry or frustrated you may be.
By Julia Harris
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