Was listening to Talksport this morning and they were talking about racism in football. John Barnes came on and he asked the panel how they saw themselves. Were they White British, English, Scottish etc. Now race in football hasn't really been a consideration properly ever, yes you get banter like Freddy Eastwood and his Caravan or a few players visiting like Sodjie with his tea towel on his head. I don't identify footballers by the colour of their skin, players like Sagbo, Faye, Aluko etc are good footballers first and foremost and its not a consideration to me. John Barnes seems to think we all still identify player by the colour of their skin. I can't help wonder that he is ever so slightly jaded claiming there is a serious race issue and for 99.9% of people its not an issue at all. He goes on about the lack of black coaches, managers, journalists etc in England and how racism affects how people get on in life. I cant help but think he is bitter because he was a crap manager! Read for yourself! http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/04/racist-abuse-yaya-toure-john-barnes
To be fair to him, he had to deal with a lot of full-on racism in his playing days. But I'm not sure that he's doing himself any favours by trying to highlight casual or subconscious racism.
Not seen any racism since we left BP. Totally over played to the point where the witch hunts extend to the England dressing room half time team talk, ridiculous levels, Barnes is paranoid.
I agree there are some valid points but he never seems to look at things in a way where he (blacks) are not the victim. He claims famous black people have been risen above blackness. What a load of tosh! Its because they are driven individuals who want to do well, colour of skin has nothing to do with it (now). Granted in the past there have been issues but not now. How can a black lad from anywhere feel he is an equal when Barnes spouts so much rubbish. He will do nothing but give people an inferiority complex and all we will hear is 'its because I'm black'
I don't understand his argument. Does any industry have a problem with the colour of a person in this country? It's more likely that culture has replaced class. John Barnes paints a picture of football chairmen of the past not of the present.
I'm black and I know exactly what he means, youve no idea how hard it is to get a cab to the chicken shop these days without getting stopped & searched by the police.
Barnes is a middle class Jamaican who enjoyed a far more stable and sheltered upbringing than the vast majority of English players. Perhaps it's this cushy background that left him short of the drive and determination needed to manage.
Maybe around the turn of the century (some while back anyway) in the away end at a Southend match there were about 20 or so 'City supporters' who interspersed booing of our black payers with tedious 'no surrender' chants. Pleasingly the majority of our crowd responded by voicing their support for the same players and that bunch was isolated. Another game at Barnet saw the same with one brave soul standing up to and confronting the bigots. That kind of stuff happened and was shameful and thankfully is gone but it has left its mark. More recently, at the Blackburn game at the KC last season my kids were bemused by the drunken vocals of a man behind who insisted on leaning over them and pronounning the virtues of our 'English' team (composed of a large element of Irish and a couple of Egyptians). Being only half English themselves, it left a keen impression. That was notable for being a rare occurrance. It's no worse than the rest of society but there is no point pretending it never has nor never does happen and that people are not affected by it.
I have never seen or heard any of our fans giving our own players grief for their nationality- only if they are underperforming, not trying, taking the piss. Nationality doesn't come into it.
To think there is no racism in football is a bit naive, as football is a far wider thing than the upper echelons that many focus on; but rants, like this one, by Barnes, serve the cause of anti-racism an ill turn. We should strive to give everyone an equal opportunity to excel, but it is up to their ambition, determination and ability whether or not they succeed. I agree with focus groups being used to make access to all elements of society possible, but I detest it when they ask for some form of preferential selection. We need good, socially balanced people to move this forward, not people with an opinion like a country road - miles long, comparatively shallow and forever twisting and turning. It sometimes seems that reasoned thought is what is non-existent, not racism.
