Euro 2012: Ukraine coach slams fans for jeering own team

Donetsk (Ukraine), June 16 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Ukrainian fans should take some lessons from the positive attitude of Irish supporters instead of jeering their own team, Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin has said.

Ukraine lost 2-0 to France Friday, and elements of the home support booed and whistled at the Euro 2012 co-hosts in the second half.

“I didn’t like the fans’ behaviour. In the first half, they supported us and in the second they whistled at us,” Blokhin said.

“Yes, we lost, but weren’t the lads fighting and battling?”

Irish fans who supported their team, and sang to the end of a 4-0 defeat to Spain Thursday, set a better example than the Ukrainian supporters’ negative approach, Blokhin said.

“It’s nothing to be proud of. You saw yesterday (Thursday) how the Irish fans supported their team to the end of the match when they were thrashed by the Spaniards.”

Ukraine has three points from two games and requires a win against England Tuesday to reach the knockout stages.