Hot on the heels of Luis Suarez's 8-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra, Liverpool legend Alan Hansen has sparked fresh controversy with some ill-advised, racially sensitive comments on Match of the Day. When it rains, it pours...
Following yesterday's news that John Terry would be charged by the Police for his alleged racial slur against Anton Ferdinand, Gary Lineker asked Hansen if he thought racism was prevalent in English football. The triple European Cup winner responded:
"No it's not...I think it's better, not only with the players but with the supporters.
"I think there's a lot of coloured players in all the teams, all the major teams, and there's a lot of coloured players that are probably the best in the Premier League
"If you look twenty-five, thirty years ago, it was probably in a bad way, not as bad as some of the nations in the Continent, but certainly there's always, always room for improvement".
Cue Twitter going into meltdown, and everyone and his dog foaming at the mouth over Hansen's apparently 'racist' comments.
The word 'coloured' is generally considered to be offensive and politically incorrect, and in an interview with the BBC in 2006, Toyin Agbetu of Ligali - an African-British human rights organisation - explained why:
"It's wrong because it strips me of my identity and reduces me to the most superficial physical identifier, as opposed to my African ethnicity".
I agree that the term is definitely outdated, but having watched Match of the Day, I vehemently refute the suggestion that there was any negative intent to Hansen's comments.
The former Liverpool captain made a mistake with his choice of words but his intentions were entirely honourable.
The baying mob on Twitter is calling for Hansen to be sacked (!), which is utterly ridiculous, but depressingly predictable given current events.
I really hope common sense prevails here, but I'm sure the situation will be blown out of all proportion; and when that (inevitably) happens, I fully expect to see Liverpool FC offer Hansen the same support they've shown to Luis Suarez.
UPDATE: Hansen has apologised. He said:
"I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused – this was never my intention and I deeply regret the use of the word"
End of issue.
Jaimie Kanwar
Following yesterday's news that John Terry would be charged by the Police for his alleged racial slur against Anton Ferdinand, Gary Lineker asked Hansen if he thought racism was prevalent in English football. The triple European Cup winner responded:
"No it's not...I think it's better, not only with the players but with the supporters.
"I think there's a lot of coloured players in all the teams, all the major teams, and there's a lot of coloured players that are probably the best in the Premier League
"If you look twenty-five, thirty years ago, it was probably in a bad way, not as bad as some of the nations in the Continent, but certainly there's always, always room for improvement".
Cue Twitter going into meltdown, and everyone and his dog foaming at the mouth over Hansen's apparently 'racist' comments.
The word 'coloured' is generally considered to be offensive and politically incorrect, and in an interview with the BBC in 2006, Toyin Agbetu of Ligali - an African-British human rights organisation - explained why:
"It's wrong because it strips me of my identity and reduces me to the most superficial physical identifier, as opposed to my African ethnicity".
I agree that the term is definitely outdated, but having watched Match of the Day, I vehemently refute the suggestion that there was any negative intent to Hansen's comments.
The former Liverpool captain made a mistake with his choice of words but his intentions were entirely honourable.
The baying mob on Twitter is calling for Hansen to be sacked (!), which is utterly ridiculous, but depressingly predictable given current events.
I really hope common sense prevails here, but I'm sure the situation will be blown out of all proportion; and when that (inevitably) happens, I fully expect to see Liverpool FC offer Hansen the same support they've shown to Luis Suarez.
UPDATE: Hansen has apologised. He said:
"I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused – this was never my intention and I deeply regret the use of the word"
End of issue.
Jaimie Kanwar
Over 110million spent but we should be in top three at least...why lower expectations when kk is boss...would anyone else be able to get a free ride..no criticism
ReplyDeleteWWhat a Charlie ...can't score a penalty
ReplyDeletewe need a striker so badly....
ReplyDeletespent an hour and a half just getting to wigan from liverpool. then had to watch the laziest liverpool playerto ever wear a red shirt and that lazy player was??? Downing!! he was awful off the ball, could not be arsed to run at all. he hovered around the middle of the pitch and let johnson do all the running. I have had enough of downing, i supported him and kept on supporting, but time and time again off the ball he is very lazy.
ReplyDeleteIt was another of those performances with more than 20 shots at goal but failed to get at least 1 into the net. This is going to cost Liverpool dearly at the end of the season. I did not have the chance to watch the match but stats don't lie. The penalty miss is 1 thing but the misfiring front line of Liverpool is terrible. 20 goals from 17 league matches will not bring us a spot in the top 4, let alone the league champion. Sadly but truly, we are very far away from that.
ReplyDeleteWWhat's up with kk...Bellamy scored in last game and sets one up but gets dropped???jonjo plays well last game and gets dropped..but doesn't drop the likes of downing and Henderson and Adam who deserve to be dropped.
ReplyDeleteWigan had just as many shots on goal too..sad to say but our midfield without Lucas and gerrard is craap with the likes of Adam .
ReplyDeleteAdam runs 5 mins then gets tired to run back with his marker (fitness problem), Henderson doesn't know what planet his on (also slow), that is why wigan had about a 100 shots on goal because they were ripping our "midfield" (if you call that a midfield!) APART!!! NEED A CLINICAL STRIKER AND A WORLD CLASS WINGER!! Downing 30+ games Assist = 0 Goals = 0
ReplyDeletenuff sed...
Hey dude, I kind of agree with you, Liverpool must have SG back in order to mount a serious fight for the top 4. Remember we must not have the same shots-on-target/shots ratio as Wigan because the price of 1 Liverpool striker, AC, can probably buy their entire starting 11. We have to compare Liverpool with fellow top 4 contenders. Agree?
ReplyDeleteWe are really missing Lucas. our back four was exposed so much and Wigan walked through us easier than we walked through them. Thank god we have the two in form centre backs of the league cos with out Skrtel and Agger last night they would have scored against us no doubt.
ReplyDeleteAnd i swear to god if i here one of our players or KK say this week that
"we are gonna smash a team soon" (if we cant smash wigan we got no hope)
or
"the post needs to be shaved"
or
"the opposition keeper was man of the match, next time hopefully the opponents will come without a keeper"
i will smash my head against the floor!
Adam's penalty was struck hard straight down the middle so the keeper didnt even have a chance to dive out the way, exactly the same as Carrolls penalty attempt at Chelsea. If we stopped shooting the ball straight at the keeper all game, every game maybe we would score some more goals and the keepers wouldnt be dubbed "man of the match".
I love Liverpool i dont miss a game on TV from all the way Down Under but we have to stop talking shit in the media all week about "this" and "that" and Kenny has to start working out his best team and start coaching! We should have absolutley pumped Wigan (or so we are being told)
Bloody Frustrating!
YNWA
In Malaysia the word "negro" is nothing racist just as the word "Puki Mak" or " Chi Bai/ Burit" which means your pussycat. Any way Puki Mak to the England FA.
ReplyDeletei think its fair to say that Evra is a little girl who got his feelings hurt over being called a "little black man" which he is isn't he? i would have thought that this is a description not a racist slur. the whole thing is an absolute Joke!!!
ReplyDeleteThe owners need to have a meeting with Dalglish. So far Liverpool's progress HAS NOT been good enough. Kenny Dalglish really needs to sort out this problem with putting the ball in the net! Dirk Kuyt cannot finish, Carroll isn't finishing, Johnson should have netted that chance, Downing should have at least a few goals, Suarez should even have alot more goals to his tally and Adam's set pieces have not looked like the 10 million pound worth claimed by SAF. Liverpool usually get a roll on at the start of the game, especially against small teams, which is what happened at Wigan. If they netted those chances surely they would have gone on to win! Another winger and striker is needed ASAP!!!!!
ReplyDeleteJaimie are you trying to cause confusing with mixing the comments on Hansen on finishing 4th and using that racist word C******D!
ReplyDeleteHello Mali341
ReplyDeleteI find it strange that you do not like to leave any comments when we have beaten the opposition.
Bill Shankly: "if you can't support us when we lose or draw, don't support us when we win"
You want de look at the stats mate your talking crap
ReplyDeleteWe will have to give one of the reserve strikers a chance before we go spending we need a striker with pace other then Bellamy we broke a number of times last night but no one could take advantage of it.
ReplyDeleteWithout the early goal the passing became ragged again Henderson played well but needs to learn to be a bit more composed in getting forward when Adam has already push on we were getting caught on the break with no midfield tracking back or to far to make a tackle.
Enrique is awesome and is going to be player of the season.
did kenny do something on you never hear from you when the results are good
ReplyDeleteReading about hansen some people are looking to be offended
ReplyDeletewould you like Rafa back
ReplyDeleteWhere are all the Far East and Asian footballers? Black players cry racism but they play in the Premier League and world football and are accepted where as footballers from the Middle East,Asia and the Far East are ignored isn't this Racism on a far larger scale?
ReplyDeleteplay Bellamy ! I have been a supporter of Kuyt over the years but he is not a striker and to slow for the wing ! Bellamy gives 100% about 50% more than Downing !
ReplyDeleteAs far as Hansen being lambasted for using the adjective "coloured" come on give it a rest. Some people are in the blocks waiting to say they are offened, it is obvious it was not meant in any way derogitory - lets all jump on the badwagon !!! I'm bored of it all, there are far more important issues going on in the world.
Ye I know what you mean. I dreaded it when Adam took the penalty because I remember Suarez signaled he wanted to take it instead. And the shooting straight at the goalie is right on the dot. Every game they seem to do that. Downing had no spring off the ball, continually ran to the edge of the box when he had possession just to get trapped and go for a corner. He can never seem to cut into the box, a winger that can't do that is no use to a team. 3 at the back for Wigan and still couldn't score.
ReplyDeleteAnd why is it that Suarez doesn't get a touch of the ball almost everytime Liverpool get possession, the midfield didn't feed him at all in this match. He does small things perfectly while in possession, which supplements attacks. The only positiveness came from defense. Enrique and Johnson had way more movement. There was also times where Liverpool weren't picking up Wigan players off the ball. Rodriguez was isolated with no help at times except by Enrique and Suarez on a couple of occasions. Kuyt had a bad game but I saw effort. Can't say the same for Henderson, Downing, and Adam. I'm not trying to pick on new signings but they didn't do the same things they did against Aston Villa. They were too intent on sitting in midfield and never pushed up for majority of the match.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT, CONSISTENCY NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINED BY FORCE OF TEMPO, AND TODAY WIGAN HAD THAT IN ABUNDANCE. THEY CLOSED DOWN LIVERPOOL EVERYTIME THEY TRIED TO PLAY THOSE TRIANGLES, KENNY SHOULD HAVE COUNTER-ACTED THAT SOMEHOW!!
I don't see you singing praises of Adam lately...as for playing well..do you call beating Villa who are useless and didn't even have a striker playing
ReplyDelete...well we are crapo even if we pretend we are not..but you can pretend Adam is faster than Usain Bolt and better than Alonso and technically better than Xavi but to me he is craap
Can't understand why kk keep on playing downing,hendo and adam,i thought he say they were for the future but why play them in every game,anyway i don't see my beloved Liverpool have a bright future with this ^%#*s around, you're wasting your's,the club and the fans time kk.
ReplyDeleteI would rather have better players than what we have ..spent 110million on attacking players and teams like blackburn and bolton have scored more than us.
ReplyDelete17games played and 20goals scored by the whole team...yet VAN PERSIE has 16 goals by himself .
Check the stats..wigan 10shots on target
ReplyDeleteLiverpool 10 shots on target...see bbc football results and stats...
But lets pretend we had 20 shots on target and lets believe that Carroll will score 50goals this season
hey guys let s face it,kenny have no idea how to turn around games.
ReplyDeleteHansen did nothing wrong. He shouldn't have dignified the complaints with a response. Its just game playing by people who don't like Hansen.
ReplyDeleteThere's only one way to deal with game players : don't play.
i noticed the exact same thing.
ReplyDeleteEnrique has been an absolute revelation. maybe some players need to spend a year in the championship to realize how hard you have to work in the premier league. He has been our best summer siging by a country mile.
ReplyDeletei agree the world is way to politically correct for my liking. the more we talk about "football" the better, not the bullshit whinging and complaing about off field stuff.
ReplyDelete