Is it really impossible to change favorite football club?

[Fivestar4everMVP]

I was browsing through Twitter and I saw a shot someone posted where Eric Cantona (a former professional footballer) was quoted saying that people can change wives, change religion and even politics, but can not change their favorite football team.

And the comment section of the tweet, many people agree with him, and I personally thought to disagree, but I quickly remembered that I've been an Arsenal fan for many years now right from when I was a teenager and up to this moment, and even then Arsenal was one the worst football club, I never stopped seeing myself as their fan, and neither have I ever supported another club to beat Arsenal even when I'm certain that Arsenal chances of wining is as good as zero.

So, I began to think within myself if actually this is true for everyone else, and if there is some kind of mystery behind football clubs and team fanship.

What do you think about this?

[Obari]

This is not possible at all,changing your favourite team to another team,it's like falling in love with two different Women,but this one is quite different,I wonder how many can be so faithful to a particular club without switching to another when their team lose.So many times I have tried changing my team to another club who is doing well,but I find out that it so impossible to do that.I am a Liverpool fan,and I will remain a Red till death do us path.This is a club I loved from childhood,and till date,I'm still in love with my club.

[sampoerna]

I was browsing through Twitter and I saw a shot someone posted where Eric Cantona (a former professional footballer) was quoted saying that people can change wives, change religion and even politics, but can not change their favorite football team.

IMO, For someone who is already a fanatical fan of a football club, I think it is very difficult to change. And it would even be like betraying his old club that he idolized. Especially if we have joined a club, it will be much harder to change.

Unless you're not a fanatical fan and really idolize the club because you're one of the players you really idolize, then this could change. However, as long as there are no problems, football club fans are usually very fanatical and stick to what they like.

[DaNNy001]

This is not possible at all,changing your favourite team to another team,it's like falling in love with two different Women,but this one is quite different,I wonder how many can be so faithful to a particular club without switching to another when their team lose.So many times I have tried changing my team to another club who is doing well,but I find out that it so impossible to do that.I am a Liverpool fan,and I will remain a Red till death do us path.This is a club I loved from childhood,and till date,I'm still in love with my club.

Well that's your own take on this, for me I believe it's very possible to change your club to another especially when you have really fallen out of interest for that team. I know of a friend who was freakishly in love with Manchester united and the reason being was that he loved their star player as of then but  the moment Ronaldo left that club, his interest for the club started depreciated and it became worse when the clubs performance also reduces and that was what sealed his deal.

[SmartGold01]

To me there are two things involves why because he made this statement on a neutral ground let say if that he had to stake between two team and he knew that his club will lose the game there's no way he would go give winning to his team or club knowing that he stake either huge amount, he wouldn't give his favorite club winning if he stakes money.
Lemme use you as an example, even when you were an Arsenal fans while betting have you given them winning against the club they are to play with knowing too well that the club would beat them?

No you can't because you need money and you gamble to earn money but since the club itself won't be paying you for just becoming their fan out there so you would definitely bet against them at this point you are leaving your club and I didn't agree to what he is say maybe to him that is the way he finds it. Let me shock you, I don't have a favorite club why because I don't want a heart attack so I just decided to be neutral on every club because what they earn, receive doesn't indirectly or directly reflect to me as a fan of that club or team.

[Zed0X]

You can be objective and become a critic but there will always be a soft spot for your favorite team. You can also acknowledge that other teams are better than the club you support but that doesn't change the fact that they are still your favorite. I remember watching a video of a person calling for the sacking of Arteta last season because they had a bad results early. I consider that person a passionate Arsenal fan.

[$crypto$]

For people who really love the football team, it is impossible to change the favorite football team. Because I also feel it myself, even though maybe the team we support is in a slump, we will remain loyal, yes even though there is a sense of disappointment too.

If there are people who call themselves a fan of one of the teams and easily change the favorite team, then I can say that it is not a person who really loves that team. Especially if the team is in a bad state, they even blaspheme it. Unless they criticize, I think it's a very natural thing.

[LUCKMCFLY]

Well, seeing as you are an Arsenal fan, I congratulate you on today's 3-1 win over Liverpool. What you're saying is true, that someone can change their favorite soccer team, well yes and no, why? Personally, my favorite team has always been Madrid, but I think that under no circumstances is Barcelona, unless my son ends up playing there, but he doesn't like it either, so I think it's not possible, I don't like it. I see him dressed as a culé and supporting a team like that, but I don't see that side, maybe because of tastes in other teams, yes, because for example I used to love how they did things in the MU, when Tevez, CR7, was there, Rooney, but now thinking about what they won doesn't give me the most emcoin, and that has a name, erik ten hag, thanks to that technique I completely hated the MU.

And since they treated CR7 so badly, who is my favorite player, they even got the idea, they can't treat a legend like that who was there long before any other player.

[DragonF]

A diehard football fan will always stick to his club no matter the performance of the club. It is only a plastic fan who changes football clubs. I plastic fan is a person who is always in the winning team. He doesn`t have a favorite football team. His loyalty depends on the performance of the team. It is only such a fan that can easily change a football club.

In my opinion, it is impossible to change a football club because of the genuine love for the club. Remember as a fan you have no benefit accrue to you for supporting the football club and so your loyalty is propelled by your genuine love for the club. But this can be different if the loyalty is not for the club but for a player. Sometimes people support a club because of a particular player and if this is the case, when such a player changes football club, fan loyalty also changes because his love is not for the club but for the player.

I have a friend who was a Manchester United fan when Christiano Ronaldo was still in the club but then switched loyalty and started supporting Real Madrid when Ronaldo moved to the club. I also have a friend who lost interest in Barcelona when Lionel Messi left the club.

So, the possibility or impossibility depends on the reason for supporting the club.

[JoyMarsha]

This is so true. When you are a true fan of a club, you hardly switch to another club, no matter how badly your club performs.

This is one of the habits, of a diehard fan of a club exhibit. You find them sticking to a club, and not letting go,  because of the love they have developed for the club they support.

A diehard fan of a club is always there, through the ups and downs of the club and they're the ones who feel bad and murmur when the club they support is not in good shape(performance). But in the end, they are not to let go because they believe, their club will bounce back someday

[Cryptsafe]

This is interesting. After reading this post, I realised that I have been an arsenal fan for quite a long time since my childhood. I think this postulation is correct. Many years have come and gone me being an arsenal fan. I have gone passed my  primary, secondary and university education and I still remain an Arsenal fan till this moment irrespective of their lapses in games and others activities they get involved in, I still remain their fan  cheering them when ever they have game going on. I was also wondering the mystery behind the love behind football  clubs. Possibly, it is just nature and the love for football exercise one has been able to nurture for quite a long time as it relates to football games and choose a particular club based on their football styles and pattern they have been on for quite a long time.

[ajiz138]

This is so true. When you are a true fan of a club, you hardly switch to another club, no matter how badly your club performs.

This is one of the habits, of a diehard fan of a club exhibit. You find them sticking to a club, and not letting go,  because of the love they have developed for the club they support.

A diehard fan of a club is always there, through the ups and downs of the club and they're the ones who feel bad and murmur when the club they support is not in good shape(performance). But in the end, they are not to let go because they believe, their club will bounce back someday

I remember when my team was in a bad situation, I criticized, but it was all for the good of the team I supported too. Even when my favorite team was doing well, I would occasionally criticize them, even though my voice might not be heard, but it was my concern.

No matter how bad the team looks, I will remain loyal, that's what loyalty is all about. For supporters, we may have heard these words a lot, "don't just be there when they are doing well, but we must still support when they are doing badly". That's what a true supporter is.

[DragonF]

I remember when my team was in a bad situation, I criticized, but it was all for the good of the team I supported too. Even when my favorite team was doing well, I would occasionally criticize them, even though my voice might not be heard, but it was my concern.

No matter how bad the team looks, I will remain loyal, that's what loyalty is all about. For supporters, we may have heard these words a lot, "don't just be there when they are doing well, but we must still support when they are doing badly". That's what a true supporter is.

It is normal to criticize a team you support and criticisms doesn`t mean you changed or developed hatred for your favourite football club. Generally, constructive criticisms is geared towards improvement and when we criticize our favourite team it is because we wish them to do better. That is passion. When your favourite team is winning it brings joy in the mind of fans and vice versa.

[Sim_card]

Down here in my region, I have seen people that have switched over to other clubs due to no love for their clubs anymore. Why is it like that, there are some fans who don't have a favorite club, but a favorite player, and anything that makes that player to leave the club, and the club is not performing as expected, they use that as an excuse to abandon the club for another. It is hard for me to change club, rather if my club is in their worst performance, I will only say that I no longer care about the club anymore. If I am angry, I will say that I don't have any club that is my favorite.

[pawel7777]

I was browsing through Twitter and I saw a shot someone posted where Eric Cantona (a former professional footballer) was quoted saying that people can change wives, change religion and even politics, but can not change their favorite football team.

Funny thing to say from a former football player, knowing that players would change clubs all the time if the money is right. Same with managers. Yet somehow, only the fans are expected to be "loyal" to the club who only sees them as cash-cows consuming games and merchandise.
The only time when you should consider being loyal is when you have a real community with other fans (i.e. know them on a personal level, organise around other things than just watching a game etc).
But since all the major clubs divorced themselves from local communities, being owned by foreign investors, hiring managers and players with zero connection to local people - nobody owns them anything.