Jason Roberts...Do you sometimes find him annoying?!

[melonhead]

regarding black unions, or black only sections within other unions i note from interviews today, that the police, fire brigade, lawyers/barristers all have them, and they, after much the same consternation initialy, are acknowledged to have been very helpful in bringing about much needed change in those institutions, and resulting in increases in black participation and achievement more closely linked to their % within the population than they were before

Interesting point, although I think those organisations have probably been fighting for a long period in under represented industries. With something like 25% of players being 'BME' I don't think there are the same issues in football for the PFA to address.

Boardrooms might be slightly different, although I think BME representation isn't all that bad compared to the 2.5% figure that's banded about (no idea if that's accurate though). The only thing that appears to be out of sync is that the conversion of players to managers isn't great (how many of those BME players are short term residents in the UK and not hanging around for management opportunites I have no idea). I understand that being cause for concern, but it really is a long battle to fight to correct that, and I just don't think (like Clarke Carlisle) that this protest is doing them any favours in addressing it.

i disagree with attacking KIO too
but all im saying is that its had the effect they were after, and expidited the process quickly to a point that it probably wouldnt have reached for years if the FAs usual dithering is anything to go by

[harryroyal]

Message to Melonhead. I have no idea why this racial thing affects you so but:-
1/ Look back over the vast football footage to see white players abusing everyone whilst black players are all total gentlemen.
2/ Look at how many black Asian peadophile rings are currently in court for preying on white teenagers.
3/ Look at the whole Terry thing and tell me that Ferdinand's tweet about Cole was not the most racist.
4/ Look at all of the decent white working people who have been abused by black footballers in bars, nightclubs etc. because they are not rich, whilst moronic black footballers are!
5/ Look at all of the white footballers who have recently been sent to court for assaulting the Police - Oh, sorry, he was black!

I have the greatest respect for all of these black footballers who are oppressed by £200,000 a week salaries and a media presence that I do not, as an englishman, enjoy.

The black footballers in this country are, indeed , seriously disadvantaged. White families, with children that they ca'nt feed due to the huge amount of financial migrants in this country, will obviously give them their full support!

lol- it effects me, cos it effects everyone in society, and i think its a cancer on the country that i love.


1.massive lol at thinking that black and white players habits of general abuse equates in any way to racism or the effect it has
2.people abusing teenagers is awful. the colour of either side makes no difference
3. both about the same, im not Trying to distinguish between reacism though, its all bad.
4. what has teh colour of their skin got to do with anything? abuse of everyone isnt very nice, and should be avoided.
5.assault is a crime, whats teh skin colour got to do with anything?
-does a black player earning 200,000 mean its ok to abuse him racialy or oterwise? does it mean he should just sit back and accept it?
your points are laughable, and pick you out as one of the racist to the core bigots ive been talking about on this thread when i say they dont have to do nazi salutes and attack black people violently to be a dangerous racist curse on our whole society.
thats you that is.

^This. oxf*rd off TheSiege.

[Hampshire Royal]

Message to Melonhead. I have no idea why this racial thing affects you so but:-
1/ Look back over the vast football footage to see white players abusing everyone whilst black players are all total gentlemen.
2/ Look at how many black Asian peadophile rings are currently in court for preying on white teenagers.
3/ Look at the whole Terry thing and tell me that Ferdinand's tweet about Cole was not the most racist.
4/ Look at all of the decent white working people who have been abused by black footballers in bars, nightclubs etc. because they are not rich, whilst moronic black footballers are!
5/ Look at all of the white footballers who have recently been sent to court for assaulting the Police - Oh, sorry, he was black!

I have the greatest respect for all of these black footballers who are oppressed by £200,000 a week salaries and a media presence that I do not, as an englishman, enjoy.

The black footballers in this country are, indeed , seriously disadvantaged. White families, with children that they ca'nt feed due to the huge amount of financial migrants in this country, will obviously give them their full support!

lol- it effects me, cos it effects everyone in society, and i think its a cancer on the country that i love.


1.massive lol at thinking that black and white players habits of general abuse equates in any way to racism or the effect it has
2.people abusing teenagers is awful. the colour of either side makes no difference
3. both about the same, im not Trying to distinguish between reacism though, its all bad.
4. what has teh colour of their skin got to do with anything? abuse of everyone isnt very nice, and should be avoided.
5.assault is a crime, whats teh skin colour got to do with anything?
-does a black player earning 200,000 mean its ok to abuse him racialy or oterwise? does it mean he should just sit back and accept it?
your points are laughable, and pick you out as one of the racist to the core bigots ive been talking about on this thread when i say they dont have to do nazi salutes and attack black people violently to be a dangerous racist curse on our whole society.
thats you that is.

It really isn't worth commenting on TheSeige's comments about the team, because they just don't make any sense at all!!

As far as his obvious racism goes, I can only think that there are one or more reasons for it:

1. He's about fifteen and hasn't had any real experience of life;
2. He is in some way mentally retarded;
3. (My favourite) He has a bad case of Penis Envy.

[Maguire]

Getting a bit bored of Roberts now. In the headlinezzz again.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Why are peeps getting so furious? He refused the shirt because it would get attention. He used that attention to point out KIO is just ticking a f/cking box.

Then loads of white men got angry about it and said from their comfy sofa in white suburbia that racism doesn’t exist within an institution they’ve never been involved with.

Then they say they are bored with the topic, point or not, shut the f/ck up samba. It’s just like being called fatso anyway, and white people don’t get upset being called a cushy, privileged white bastard.

So yeah, seems like race is an issue well and truly understood in this country. Let’s move on.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Or, as someone tweeted last week, "White men annoyed that black men won't fight racism the way that white men tell them to."

[Maguire]

I've not read the thread tbh but when the leading BBC Sport headline is "Roberts would shake Terry's hand" I can't help but think "who gives a flying fukk?"

Still, at least all this gives some white people another excuse to show everyone how right on they are.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Or a chance to tell black people there isn't a problem and to shut the f/ck up about it.

[Maguire]

Or a chance to tell black people there isn't a problem and to shut the f/ck up about it.

Yep they're also dicks.

[Royalclapper]

Why are peeps getting so furious? He refused the shirt because it would get attention. He used that attention to point out KIO is just ticking a f/cking box.

Then loads of white men got angry about it and said from their comfy sofa in white suburbia that racism doesn’t exist within an institution they’ve never been involved with.

Then they say they are bored with the topic, point or not, shut the f/ck up samba. It’s just like being called fatso anyway, and white people don’t get upset being called a cushy, privileged white bastard.

So yeah, seems like race is an issue well and truly understood in this country. Let’s move on.

Think there's a bit more to the population and racism than just middle england white men vs afro/carribean black men. There's also more to freedom of speech and opinion than you're wrong for being a thick, stupid racist or right for being a self styled high minded fashionable neo-liberal.

[Royal Lady]

Well, personally, and this may be controversial to some people, I think Roberts just wants to raise his profile for when he retires, probably at the end of the season - so that the "media" will want to talk to HIM about all things racist and not Clarke Carlisle. Or something along those lines. He saw, after the JT and Serbia thing, an opening to make a name for himself on the back of the upcoming KIO campaign.

In days gone by, players who played football AND also had another job were known as semi-professionals. Maybe Mr Roberts could concentrate on his football for now and leave his media career until AFTER he has retired/we've let him go.

[sandman]

^
Dear fcuking God.

[Extended-Phenotype]

There's also more to freedom of speech and opinion than you're wrong for being a thick, stupid racist

You are wrong for being a thick, stupid racist. That's kinda the f/cking point.

[SydenhamRoyal]

Or, as someone tweeted last week, "White men annoyed that black men won't fight racism the way that white men tell them to."

Indeed. And the same white man (or the one I am thinking of anyway), one of the most powerful people in football management, clearly forgetting his role as a union shop steward when telling his black centre half to wear the kick it out shirt.

I have found Jason Roberts annoying in the past, but good on him for what he has done, and how he has done. His interview yesterday (posted elsewhere on the board) had me full of admiration for him

[Extended-Phenotype]

Or, as someone tweeted last week, "White men annoyed that black men won't fight racism the way that white men tell them to."

His interview yesterday (posted elsewhere on the board) had me full of admiration for him

I'm willing to bet none of his detractors will bother to listen to it.

[RoyalBlue]

Reading are due to play Chelsea at Madejski Stadium on January 29 and Roberts said: “I would shake his (Terry’s) hand, definitely.”

However, when pressed as to whether he thought 31-year-old Terry was a racist, Roberts simply repeated his previous answer.

If this is true then, when it comes to tackling the thorny issues, Roberts doesn't appear much different from many of those he has criticised.

If you're going to put yourself in the media spotlight over this issue then you can be damn sure someone is going to ask you that question and you should have made sure you could come up with something better than that answer.

So far 'walking the walk' doesn't appear to be much more than refusing to wear the T shirt.

[facaldaqui]

Or, as someone tweeted last week, "White men annoyed that black men won't fight racism the way that white men tell them to."

Indeed. And the same white man (or the one I am thinking of anyway), one of the most powerful people in football management, clearly forgetting his role as a union shop steward when telling his black centre half to wear the kick it out shirt.

Ferguson's miscalculations were eyebrow raising. First he talked of not having one of the sheep wandering off. Then when one of the sheep does wander off he talks of his being dealt with. It seemed never to have occurred to him that when it comes to racism he is not in a position to lay down rules for behaviour to his black players.

Ferguson's clearing of the air statement shows signs that he had had to retrench. He said it had just been a matter of communication. Yes, because he had never bothered to communicate directly with Ferdinand over the matter. He says he has now told Ferdinand that a union has to stick together--this is better than talking of sheep, but it overlooks that the manager isn't in a position to lead the union. To be fair, by compromising on this one in the end, Ferguson showed why he is not stupid in man management (if the iron fist doesn't work, compromise for the good of the team).

I was surprised at those on this thread who took Ferguson's and Wenger's take over Roberts's. In the first instance, managers only care about the team: anything which might affect that, such as breaking ranks, is to be discouraged. It is no good looking to managers--particularly these iconic ones--for moral guidance. They will turn a blind eye to misbehaviour whenever it suits them. Dalglish's unquestioning support for Suarez was a case in point. I even had the strong impression that Ferguson would rather Evra had not made a fuss over the matter, though he had no choice but to back him in the event, as it would provide a distraction to the team's purpose.

[melonhead]

Well, personally, and this may be controversial to some people, I think Roberts just wants to raise his profile for when he retires, probably at the end of the season - so that the "media" will want to talk to HIM about all things racist and not Clarke Carlisle. Or something along those lines. He saw, after the JT and Serbia thing, an opening to make a name for himself on the back of the upcoming KIO campaign.

In days gone by, players who played football AND also had another job were known as semi-professionals. Maybe Mr Roberts could concentrate on his football for now and leave his media career until AFTER he has retired/we've let him go.

whatalotofshit


can the issue just not be imprtant to him, cos hes black, a footballer, and a member of the PFA board?
tbf hes already got a high media profile, presenting radio shows, and appearing as a pundit on MOTD/footy focus

im not really sure that this is something he needs for his post footy career

[melonhead]

Reading are due to play Chelsea at Madejski Stadium on January 29 and Roberts said: “I would shake his (Terry’s) hand, definitely.”

However, when pressed as to whether he thought 31-year-old Terry was a racist, Roberts simply repeated his previous answer.

If this is true then, when it comes to tackling the thorny issues, Roberts doesn't appear much different from many of those he has criticised.

If you're going to put yourself in the media spotlight over this issue then you can be damn sure someone is going to ask you that question and you should have made sure you could come up with something better than that answer.

So far 'walking the walk' doesn't appear to be much more than refusing to wear the T shirt.

people choose to deal with the issue in different ways


some refuse to shake a racists hand
others prefer to do so, and look em in the eye while doing so, to let em know that theyre a better man than the racist

[Maguire]

tbf hes already got a high media profile, presenting radio shows, and appearing as a pundit on MOTD/footy focus

How can that be, when black people never get given a chance?