Though the Internet was made for the sole purpose of allowing people to semi-anonymously spew hate and bile about others in a public forum, Brugge have proven they are intent on punishing this staple of modern life.
First they demoted former Belgium national team goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen to the reserves for being the person they believed was behind a series of messages on a Brugge fan site slamming the team's other goalkeepers and new business managers. Now, following his brother and girlfriend's admission that they were the ones writing the comments, they have "decided to end their cooperation with immediate effect." Which is Belgian for "We don't care if your contract runs until 2015, get out. Now."
From the AP:
In comments linked to his entourage on the fan web site blauwzwartforum.be, the goalkeeper was described as a “hero”’ or “wonderful” and “top,” while fellow Brugge goalkeepers and management were denigrated.
“Very weak game of (Geert) De Vlieger,” one comment said of Stijnen’s replacement. “Very average goalkeeper who has committed serious blunders in the past weeks.” [...]
Stijnen’s family said in a statement to VRT network that his brother Steven and girlfriend Veerle “take all responsibility and offer Stijn their apologies, who, unfairly, gets all the blame.”
The two say their were driven to post the comments under pseudonyms “Frigo and Piop” because “the criticism on Stijnen for some time had been too virulent and, as brother and girlfriend, too emotional.”
Somewhere, Shaun Wright-Phillips' dad Ian is wondering why these people decided to use pseudonyms to make these comments instead of their column in The Sun.
Photo: Getty Images
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