Match Day Thread 2016/17 Premier League, Cups & Euro Watch

Yep

 

I think former Everton player Michael Branch has come out of retirement for them.

I don't think we should make any more tree puns though, we should leaf it at that.

 

Oakay

 

Cannot believe i didnt notice that before or that no fecker pointed it out

 

I would like us to play more first team players in the semi and hopefully final.

Mingolet
TAA Matip Klavan Milner
Henderson
Lallana Wjinaldum
Mane Origi Firmino​

Something like that.

 

Surely Coutinho should be fit by then.

 

So Chelsea paid a former player to keep quiet about being abused as a child by former chief scout.

Crazy, can't believe they and probably more clubs are trying to cover it up rather than encourage players to speak up about it.

 

Really reflects the culture at the time. Not saying it wasn't a crime at the time but in these days the child's accusation was less likely to be believed and taken seriously in a court and it would have been the scout's words against the child's.

Today the club's actions would be seen as totally immoral and inexcusable. At that time, we are not told whether the club carried out their investigation or interviewed the scout (very naive I know. What do they expect him to say?). If they concluded that this was just some malicious claim but didn't want to drag the good reputation of the club etc, I can understand their thinking without endorsing or approving it.

We have had worse. The church at the highest level (cardinals and bishops) covering for their priests' unspeakable acts. That's something I cannot get my head round.

 

Payments were made in the last 3 years....

 

Yeah, as recently as last year I heard?
They really shouldn't be attempting to cover up these things. I wonder how much more of this stuff there is to come.

 

It seems there has been much more of this going on than I would ever have expected. Terrifying really.

 

It seems that the scout is now dead. So the reason they paid this hush money must be to "preserve their reputation". Just have to wonder the scale of this abuse. Frightening. There must have been thousands of children being exposed to this over decades. Because you would assume that these predators would be attracted to positions of authority where they can meet children : teachers, priests, coaches, scouts

 

so where is this stuff published to read about?

Is the current cheslea management or what?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38179882

 

So the current cheslea management paid a 50+ man £50k to shut up and say nothing.

Admitted no blame put paid go away money. Serious stuff this.


He claimed the Professional Footballers' Association did not return his calls, but the PFA told the BBC it had spoken to Mr Johnson in May and August 2013, and had advised him to go to the police.

Mr Johnson told the Mirror that in 2014 he was advised by police - who have not commented on the claims - to "go back to Chelsea".

He went to a law firm who approached Chelsea for compensation.

"[Chelsea] basically said 'prove it'," said Mr Johnson. "It made me feel like they thought I was faking it."

The BBC understands that the confidentiality clause was lifted on Wednesday.

a) PFA. for shame... for shame. will be quick to beat up a foreign player or defend a rich player against a charge but the grass roots or minorites... pah. hang your heads

b) the police. scanadlous. a criminal charge report... and told to go to chelsea

c) chelsea... shocking. Its almost impossible to investigate as a private company over 30 years later but the duty of care requires this to be taken textremely seriously and to work with proper authorities.

All clubs need to stand up and get real here.

 

Probably not wanting negative publicity that might put other youngsters (and potential stars) off joining.

 

thats true but the duty of care is to expose wrong doing but then again if they thougt it was an old guy trying it on... I dunno.

50k seems a large pay off so someone somewhere must have found out that the guy has a rep and when oh **** pay this guy.

We all need ot support this effort in every industry or sport and get this outed.

every club needs to have a long hard look and be figuring out of anyone had a reputation as dodgy and be ready to support victims or even better proactively try find them if this recent revealing hasn't been enough encouragement.

I hope to god theres polciies in place but the fa dropped thier care program in 2003 or 04 so... I really hope this isn't still going on.

 

Yup... they probably thought that him coming out with that would be dragging the name of the club through the mud. Also the scout died a few years back so it's not like they could do anything about it. We all know this current investigation is just some BS pr as what is there to investigate?

Not the right thing to do paying off the bloke when he probably needed help.

 

Probably few other clubs done similar things throughout the years as well.

 

no but paying hush money seems to imply they had info of some sort.

Theres nothing really criminal that could be done so you'd want the know the cops said as such and advised him to go to cheslea

If its a purely.. .well ok... we are not sure this occured fine BUT I'd want to be hearing they at the very least didn't just pay this guy off and shut him up but that they went and tried to contact every youth player of the period and enuring that they could talk about it or avail of a service

the fact they paid hush money for me is worrying. I understand the point about reputation but thats the catholic church excuse and all cubs saw where that went.

The best practice is ask the guy if he wants to go public and if not the to go provide some counselling services to all. find the victims etc

Now EVERYONE in that scouts sphere of contact should be claiming 50k. thats the precedence.


I'm just waiting to hear if LFC is in this. I suspect many clubs will be so its not a topic to shove in someone's face.