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Thursday, April 22, 2004

I'm no racist - insists Ron Atkinson

- Update: The Guardian profile: Ron Atkinson 23 April, 2004 . "With endless anecdotes, a tan as lasting as his love of jewellery, and a tough talking character as big as his coats, the former manager and TV pundit won a cult following in football. But does the final whistle beckon now for Big Ron?"
"Carlton Palmer, another black player to have played under Atkinson, suggested that the questionable culture of football could be to blame, but rejected any notion that Atkinson's comments made him a racist. "I've known Ron since I was 16, I've been on holiday with his family, my children have been sick on him, I know him. I can't defend what he said but there is no way he is a racist," he said. "In football things are said on the field and in the dressing room that should stay there. You say what you have to to get an edge. If someone wants to wind me up so I get sent off, and calls me a black bastard, I have no problem with that. Ron is not a racist. He's a big brash man, but he is very sensitive and he'll be heartbroken by this."

- Update: I was totally out of order over racist remark - Atkinson, Thu 22 April, 2004 11:09.



ITV Football - Why then, when referring to the performance of French defender Marcel Desailly for Chelsea against Monaco in the Champions League semi-final first leg match on Tuesday night, did he say: "He's what is known in some schools as a fucking lazy thick nigger."

This raises the question, often faced by Michel Houellebecq ofcourse, of exactly what does constitute being a racist. The Book Club Blog would like to know. Ron appears to have ticked all the familiar boxes of racial stereotyping, but is he trying to claim that he is merely acknowledging the existence of a particular school of thought or analysis to which he does not subscribe?

- TV pundit Ron Atkinson sacked for racist remark
- It's All Ronglish to Me
"I never comment on referees and I'm not going to break the habit of a lifetime for that prat"
- And is this acceptable humour under the circumstance? Desailly Quits In Big Ron Row. Or does it simply deflect attention from the true nature of the problem? Ignorance, and oblivious, prejudicial insensitivity.
- Three Degrees West: the story of Three Pioneer Footballers' - a tribute to Cunningham, Regis & Batson
- Lets Kick Racism Out of Football
- “Racism seemed to have been cut out of the game but recently I’ve heard things and seen things I don’t like. We need to kick this stuff out, it’s not good for the people involved, it’s not good for the game.” David Beckham, Captain of England

Posted by Nick @ 09:15 GMT

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