FA Cup
ENGLISH FA CHAIRMAN RESIGNS OVER RACIAL REMARKS ABOUT BLACK PLAYERS
Greg Clarke has resigned as English Football Association chairman hours after referring to “coloured footballers” during questions from members of parliament on Tuesday (Nov 10).
The 63-year-old was widely criticised after making a series of inappropriate comments while taking questions from members of the Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) select committee.
“We can confirm that Greg Clarke has stepped down from his role as our chairman,” the FA said in a statement.
“Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA Chairman with immediate effect and the FA Board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new chair in due course.”
Former Leicester City chairman Clarke, 63, was appointed by the FA in 2016 since when the governing body has worked hard to improve its stuffy image and become more inclusive.
In 2018, the FA launched its Pursuit of Progress initiative, aimed at increasing the diversity of those playing, officiating, coaching, leading and governing English football.
However, Clarke’s outdated terminology on Tuesday led to outrage amongst anti-racism organisations and players.
“I was extremely disappointed to see Greg Clarke’s comments today in the DCMS select committee,” said Kick It Out chairman Sanjay Bhandari.
“His use of outdated language to describe black and Asian people as “coloured” is from decades ago and should remain consigned to the dustbin of history.”
Clarke was attending the DCMS meeting remotely to discuss the Premier League’s financial rescue package for the English Football League (EFL) in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But when questions turned to diversity in English football and within the FA’s own ranks he began to score verbal own goals at an alarming rate.
Clarke apology
Asked about the difficulty gay players in the men’s game faced in “coming out” in the social media age, Clarke said: “If I look at what happens to high-profile female footballers, to high-profile coloured footballers, and the abuse they take on social media… social media is a free-for-all.”
DCMS committee member Kevin Brennan MP later picked up Clarke on his choice of words, prompting an apology.
“If I said it, I deeply regret it,” Clarke replied.
“I am a product of working overseas, where I was required to use the phrase people of colour. Sometimes, I trip over my words.”
Clarke was also criticised for voicing other stereotypes during the meeting. Talking about diversity within football, he said South Asians and Afro-Caribbean people had “different career interests”, using his own organisation as an example.
“BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities are not an amorphous mass,” he said.
“If you look at top level football, the Afro-Caribbean community is over-represented compared to the South Asian community.
“If you go to the IT department of the FA there’s a lot more South Asians than there are Afro-Caribbeans. They have different career interests.”
Clarke also referred to gay players making a “life choice” – prompting further criticism.
Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones, whose question provoked Clarke’s “coloured footballers” comment, said his terminology showed the “urgent progress” that is needed on equality.
“I can’t believe we’re still here in 2020,” she said.
Former West Ham player Anton Ferdinand posted on Twitter that Clarke’s language was unacceptable, adding “clearly education is needed at all levels.”
Clarke later issued a statement of apology but said he has been considering standing down anyway.
“My unacceptable words in front of Parliament were a disservice to our game and to those who watch, play, referee and administer it. This has crystallised my resolve to move on,” he said.
“I’m deeply saddened that I offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include.”
-Reuters
Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City crushed Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to cruise into the FA Cup semi-finals.
Champions Liverpool played well in the opening half-hour with Mohamed Salah wasting an early chance, but once Haaland had scored from the spot in the 37th minute after a foul on Nico O’Reilly, their resistance crumbled.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk conceded the penalty with a rash challenge, and there was little the Dutch defender could do as City played scintillating attacking football for the remainder of the game.
His blond hair swinging behind him in a ponytail, Haaland netted his second two minutes into first-half stoppage time with a well-placed header from an excellent Antoine Semenyo cross.
Semenyo got on the scoresheet himself five minutes after the break, latching on to a ball in behind from Rayan Cherki and chipping it beautifully past Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Haaland completed his treble with a shot off the underside of the crossbar in the 57th minute.
Liverpool’s woes continued when Mohamed Salah, who is set to leave the club at the end of the season, capped off a poor performance by having his penalty saved by James Trafford, snuffing out any faint hopes Liverpool might have had of a comeback
As the game turned into a victory parade, many Liverpool fans started heading for the exits, and City manager Pep Guardiola rang the changes, replacing Haaland with Omar Marmoush, the Norwegian striker receiving a standing ovation as he left the field.
In the other quarter-finals, Chelsea take on Port Vale and Southampton host Arsenal later on Saturday, with Leeds United travelling to West Ham United on Sunday.
The semi-finals will take place at Wembley, and Haaland is relishing a return to the stadium.
“First half, we struggled a bit, but then we after around 30 minutes we kept going and in the end it’s an amazing game. Another Wembley trip for us is amazing and important,” he told broadcaster TNT.
“I think (my form this season) has been a bit too much up and down, which is not good enough. I cannot keep on thinking about what I could have done differently or what didn’t happen, or what happened. I have to think about the next game.”
-Reuters
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Arsenal will be without injured England attacker Noni Madueke when they face Southampton in Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final, but Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber may return from injury, manager Mikel Arteta said.
Madueke was among the 11 Arsenal players who withdrew from international duty last month over injuries and fitness management, as the club eye their first Premier League title since 2004.
“When you have to communicate the state of every player, we are always honest and a medical decision had to be made. That was clear what the conclusion was,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
“It makes us so proud that we had that many players in the national team. Players are desperate to play for their nation. I know how important it is to them. We are fully supportive of that and when we can do it, we do it.”
Madueke picked up a knee injury during England’s friendly with Uruguay, missing the game against Japan. But Arteta said his condition was not as bad as a knee injury that kept him out for six weeks.
Martin Zubimendi, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Timber, Leandro Trossard, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were unavailable for their countries.
Arteta did not disclose how many of them will be available for Saturday’s game, as Arsenal look to shake off last month’s League Cup final loss to Manchester City with a return to Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals.
“We’re in a position right now where we need to make the strongest line-up we possibly can to win every competition,” he said. ” We are two or three games away from the FA Cup and we know how important that competition is for us.”
-Reuters
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Manchester City will look to secure a historic eighth straight semi-final appearance in the FA Cup when they face Liverpool on Saturday, manager Pep Guardiola said.
City beat Arsenal to win the League Cup before the international break, and Guardiola is hoping his team maintain the momentum as they fight to add the FA Cup and Premier League to this season’s trophy haul.
“Once you finish one, it is the next one,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“Tomorrow we have the chance to reach an incredible milestone, to make eight semi-finals in a row. It’s never happened… it is a prestigious competition, and one of the toughest, special opponents for all of us, Liverpool.”
City have dominated English football with six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups since Guardiola joined in 2016, but Liverpool have been a constant thorn in his side throughout his coaching career.
As a coach, Guardiola has only nine victories and seven draws in 26 matches against Liverpool, his worst win rate against a Premier League club.
City have beaten Liverpool twice in the Premier League this season, but had to dig deep for a late comeback when they won 2-1 at Anfield in February.
“So many times they have been the rival, the biggest, biggest one… top contender, top class players, all of them. Hopefully we have to perform in the level we did against Arsenal to reach the next step,” Guardiola said.
The manager also praised Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who has announced his departure in the summer.
“Absolutely. One of the greatest. The numbers, the consistency. What a player… absolute legend, of course for Liverpool, but (also) for the Premier League,” Guardiola said.
Guardiola, however, avoided commenting on his own midfielder Rodri, who said he was open to a move to Real Madrid when his contract with City runs out at the end of this season.
“No clue, no opinion… because I know the intention of the club, I know the intention, I think, of him, but I don’t know,” Guardiola said.’
-Reuters
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