Tabloids take aim at Hodgson again, this time over 'space monkey' race row

[Springal]

Wayne Rooney very publicly supporting Roy, which is nice to see.

 

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

genuinely perplexed on what is the race issue here ?

Indeed, it isn't a race question it is a question of people not understanding the comparison story.

Jeez, what a storm in a teacup (or fart in a spacesuit).

TNBA

TTF

 

[The Large One]

genuinely perplexed on what is the race issue here ?

The only race issue is Townsend knocking the ball past the full-back, having given him a five-yard start.

(Boom, tish)

 

[Biscuit]

The answer is; stop buying the tabloids. They'll soon up their game.

 

[blockhseagull]

How are you supposed to talk about monkeys?

The primates that can't be named ? Bit like Voldamort ?

 

[Ernest]

Couldn't believe it, as soon as we qualify some numbnuts starts to undermine the team, usually it is just before the team flies out like the dentists chair and Sheringham on holiday

 

[MattBackHome]

Is joke telling a common half time pastime?

If so I really feel for the Palace squad, having to endure 15 minutes of Holloway's best new 'material' a week.

 

[Butch Willykins]

Can't believe a Scottish journo would write such a story.......

 

[Guinness Boy]

genuinely perplexed on what is the race issue here ?

Complete non story. Total nonsense.

Completely ridiculous on all counts, obviously.

What's intriguing me about this though, is who leaked the story. There can't have been too many people in the England dressing room at half-time so someone must have it in for Woy when trying to stitch him up here.

Even if it's an analogy, it doesn't work.

A failure of a story on all counts.

All of these. Not often you'll get me and TLO agreeing with bushy but it is not racist and not a story. If anything I love Woy a little bit more after this.

 

[Paris]

Gordon 'not so' Smart. A total waste of space. Can't wait to hear what Harry's got to say on the matter.

If it is true and one of the players has run to the tabloids over something so ridiculous, they should never play for England again.

 

[The Wizard]

What a load of crap, deary me the British press are a joke.

 

[backson]

I'm really confused by the timing on this, as it will probably be forgotten come next year.

What I would have expected is for one of the tabloids to bring up some shit like this a month or two before the finals, thus completely disrupting our preparation and ruining whatever small chance we had, before then suddenly getting fully behind "our boys" in the early stages of the competition, only to turn nastily against whichever unfortunate player missed an easy chance, or misplaced a pass which led to a goal, turning them into public enemy number one, whilst probably also comparing Hodgson to some kind of inanimate object or sad looking animal.

 

[Mellotron]

For ****s sake tabloids, **** the **** off and stop trying to derail any sense of momentum the national team musters up.

 

[dougdeep]

It's easy for the innocent to offend. The fault is usually with the offended.

 

[ali jenkins]

I'm really confused by the timing on this, as it will probably be forgotten come next year.

What I would have expected is for one of the tabloids to bring up some shit like this a month or two before the finals, thus completely disrupting our preparation and ruining whatever small chance we had, before then suddenly getting fully behind "our boys" in the early stages of the competition, only to turn nastily against whichever unfortunate player missed an easy chance, or misplaced a pass which led to a goal, turning them into public enemy number one, whilst probably also comparing Hodgson to some kind of inanimate object or sad looking animal.

By doing it now there is enough time for Roy to get the sack and 'someone' else (who would probably have the full backing of a media campaign) to come in before the WC

 

[Tricky Dicky]

The answer is; stop buying the tabloids. They'll soon up their game.

Is of course the correct answer. A bit like politicians, you get the newspapers you deserve.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Not withstanding that I very much doubt any manager in any game would have the time to tell such a story / joke as part of those precious 10-15 minutes at halftime ....

What the story is actually suggesting is that a monkey is more intelligent than an astronaut. For the love of God [ooh can I say that?], Shirley that is a compliment to monkeys and so any perceived connection of said monkey to an England footballer is massively overly complimentary and in no way derogatory.

Gutter press trying to sell stories. The quicker the Sun goes the same way as News of the World, the better.

 

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

Couldn't believe it, as soon as we qualify some numbnuts starts to undermine the team, usually it is just before the team flies out like the dentists chair and Sheringham on holiday

Come on Ernest. At every major football tournament finals we reach it is tradition for the tabloids to try and stir things up and discredit anyone associated with the team. We expect nothing less from the red tops.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Its how the red tops make money, some people actually want to buy this negative bull****.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Oh F*** OFF. Roy's been made to/felt the need to apologise.

Surely whoever reported this is the real person with racial issues to have even thought of it in that context. I wouldn't have even made the LINK to a racial slur let alone felt the need to publish it.

Ridiculous. Flipping ridiculous.

Piara Powar, executive director of Fare (Football Against Racism in Europe), told the BBC: "This was a silly phrase to use in a diverse workforce.

"One assumes it wasn't Freudian - there is no evidence to suggest it was. I think some players will see it as a reflection of the type of language still used by some coaches and some attitudes that still prevail."

Oh DO ONE Piara. I assume Roy can't also say "monkey off his back" in the diverse workplace either?

I bloody hate humans sometimes.