Manager reveals FA's hidden racism

DIMKA76 · Post by **DIMKA76** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:14 am

Manager reveals FA's hidden racism

Vivek Chaudhary
Saturday January 24, 2004
The Guardian

Wednesday's lunch to mark the 10th anniversary of the football anti-racism group Kick It Out was buzzing with speculation about the identity of a former England manager who has alleged that during his tenure he was told by senior FA officials not to pick too many black players.
The manager in question, whose identity is known to Digger and has a long history of closely working with some of England's leading black players over the past 25 years, privately spoke about the incident at the lunch but refused to go public with his allegation.

He claims that he was called into an office where two senior FA officials were present and they told him that his England team should be made up of predominantly white footballers.

The current England manager was also at the Kick It Out lunch, although not for long. Perhaps expecting a relatively straightforward afternoon in support of a good cause, Sven-Goran Eriksson seemed surprised at the number of tabloid journalists present and their incessant clamour for a word with him, and left without a backward glance within minutes of his arrival.

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Shownoja · Post by **Shownoja** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:17 am

If he didn't want to go public, then its all trash.

ruff'n'tuff · Post by **ruff'n'tuff** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:49 am

Abi hin no get balls.

realplayer · Post by **realplayer** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 12:34 pm

I don't blame the guy as that comment would have ended his career as the conversation was not recorded.
The race issue is a very real problem that is institutionalised in every aspect of the British system.
There is an attitude of lets just talk about it and move forward and do little about it. For a manager to come out and go against the system will be suicide. He will get no job again and will die in penury.
Only a desperate fool will stick out his neck over what is not documented and will ruin him.
To have even said it is BRAVE !!! At least many now know why the likes of Okoronkwo are not fielded in a hopelessly defensive Wolves and why offers of £3m are made for the likes of Aghahowa.

cic old boy · Post by **cic old boy** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 1:12 pm

Realplayer: You are talking real sense. My guess is it was Graham Taylor.

AreaDaddy · Post by **AreaDaddy** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 1:26 pm

cic,

You beat me to it, I was also about to suggest that it was Graham Taylor.

He must have given caps to the most black players of any English Manager and at a club level was never afraid to sign on balck players even in the dark days of the 80's and before when racism was visible and rampant in English football at all levels

Gooner1 · Post by **Gooner1** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 1:35 pm

It dosen't surprise me in the least. Brian Clough, at the peak of his career stated that if given the England job, he would choose the best players, and if the majority were black, then so be it.

Eaglezbeak · Post by **Eaglezbeak** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 4:38 pm

These rumours have been circulating since the eighties, at that time clubs would only play a maximum of three black players at a time, so even young black school kids where made aware of the trend by older guys who probley went for trials at professional clubs. The rumours seem likely ( THEY DONT LUV U SHOWNOJA)

27 · Post by 27 » Sat Jan 24, 2004 4:41 pm

Eaglezbeak wrote:These rumours have been circulating since the eighties, at that time clubs would only play a maximum of three black players at a time, so even young black school kids where made aware of the trend by older guys who probley went for trials at professional clubs. The rumours seem likely ( THEY DONT LUV U SHOWNOJA)

Seems like Arsene Wenger poured sand in their garri. That guy so likes black players, I'll bet he listens to garage music and plays MTV Base in his office.Probably does some rapping as well.

Guv007 · Post by **Guv007** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 5:28 pm

27 wrote:
Eaglezbeak wrote:These rumours have been circulating since the eighties, at that time clubs would only play a maximum of three black players at a time, so even young black school kids where made aware of the trend by older guys who probley went for trials at professional clubs. The rumours seem likely ( THEY DONT LUV U SHOWNOJA)
Seems like Arsene Wenger poured sand in their garri. That guy so likes black players, I'll bet he listens to garage music and plays MTV Base in his office.Probably does some rapping as well.

Big Ron was doing that before Wenger.

Al B Sure · Post by **Al B Sure** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 6:00 pm

So you think Okoronkwo is being descriminated against-but they put him on the bench so that they can pay him for not playing. hmmmm interesting As for the other one about Aghahowa people are being racist because they offered 3 million for him? i think we have to calm down a bit people! Racism should be cited when all other plausible reason has been exhausted, not put out there first. As for the FA well this rumour has been going on for over 10 years. and i will not be suprised if it was true. rascism is out there, i think we all know that. but before we jump to conclusions about Isaac and Julius, just think about it people.

27 · Post by 27 » Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:46 pm

Al B Sure wrote:So you think Okoronkwo is being descriminated against-but they put him on the bench so that they can pay him for not playing. hmmmm interesting As for the other one about Aghahowa people are being racist because they offered 3 million for him? i think we have to calm down a bit people! Racism should be cited when all other plausible reason has been exhausted, not put out there first. As for the FA well this rumour has been going on for over 10 years. and i will not be suprised if it was true. rascism is out there, i think we all know that. but before we jump to conclusions about Isaac and Julius, just think about it people.

Welll said. Some people's racism talk is just too much.

ukblack · Post by **ukblack** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 12:14 am

I think there was a time when Taylor was England manager that he had 6 blacks starting for England. I'll see if I can find the line up and post it