Ayre Warns Zenit on Racism

[xerxes]

Good to see the club taking a firm, zero tolerance, stand.

 

Liverpool issue warning to Zenit fans amid racism fears | Mail Online

[Heinze]

Whitecunts starting shit...typical.

[thesouthafrican]

This is bullshit. Walking off in the face of racist abuse is a completely acceptable response. It's far more effective than the inevitable slap on the wrist Zenit will get from UEFA.

 

Another home run from our crack team of executives.

[Peppermint]

'It's been a major concern for us, so I wrote to UEFA very recently expressing our concerns to them - and also to Zenit themselves.

'We await some responses in that regard. The most we can do is make our feelings clear ahead of the game, and hope that we get an adequate response and adequate support on the night. That's about the most we can do at this stage. I'm certainly hopeful that the right people will take the right action to ensure it's a game where we don't have that type of incident.'

Ayre said they planned to speak to the players before the game.

'As with everything, the players have a lot to take on board around such a big game - so we're going to do that just ahead of the game. The most important thing for our players is that they remain professional throughout this. We certainly won't tolerate that type of attitude or any of those types of incidents from our team,' he said.

'So the important thing is that we let them know how we expect them to act if there is an incident. I'd much rather we take the incident off the pitch and we deal with it. Obviously the referee has a role to play within that. But we'll be briefing our players of what's acceptable and what's not.'

 

What an utter shit-stain of an attitude to have.

Arrive. Walk onto the pitch. Racism. Walk off. Fuck off the Zenit game. Watch UEFA do 0 and fine us an utterly stupid amount. Applaud Zenit for telling their fans to stop being so mean.

[Trumo]

It's actually putting Zenit, their fans and UEFA in the spotlight. By highlighting the potential for instances of racial abuse, it puts UEFA in a particularly awkward position, because if anything does happen and is treated with UEFA's usual head-in-the-sand form of leniency, then questions will be asked as to why - even when forewarned - they've failed to handle the matter in a way which makes it abundantly clear that racial abuse cannot and will not be tolerated. It forces Zenit to take the issue more seriously, but more importantly, the media attention given to Liverpool's actions will force UEFA to sit up and taken notice.

 

Of course, none of the above matters if UEFA just carry on putting their fingers in their ears shouting "la la la, I can't hear you!"

[Guest davelfc]

So knowing UEFA, all Zenit fans have to do is chant some racist remarks and they win?

 

Te best response it to ignore it, batter them 6-0 and then watch as UEFA do nothing much, except maybe look to blame Suarez.

[Fugitive]

I'd love it if we walked off because it would cause UEFA a massive problem. If the kicked us out, their would be a shitstorm and accusations of them supporting racism or they would have to come down heavy on the culprits.

 

Maybe nothing will happen and we are jumping the gun but I think it's highly probable we'll hear some chants.

[William Morris]

I'm generally in favour of teams walking off if any of their players are subjected to racist abuse, and until recently I would have been supportive if we'd been the ones to do it.

Without it coming from the ref first, I'm not sure I'd want us to do it now though. Post Suarez, there are plenty, including in our own wonderful press, who would just throw it back in our faces and ask why we weren't so strong in condemnation of racism at the time. In fact, in their ongoing determination to do fuck all about it, I'd half expect UEFA themselves to take advantage of this and make us the guilty party, using the supposed poor behaviour of the club to mitigate themselves, and condemn us.

[Code]

So is Ayre saying Zenit are racists before we even play them?

[TheHowieLama]

So is Ayre saying Zenit are racists before we even play them?

 

Yes. They are.

[Anubis]

I fully expect a Zenit player to accuse Suarez of racism.

[Guest San Don]

So is Ayre saying Zenit are racists before we even play them?

 

Er, is it in dispute they arent after their fans sent that public 'dont buy blacks or gay players' letter to the club?

 

I guess Ayre is just setting UEFA and the ref's expectations if there is some abuse going on.

[Guest San Don]

I'm generally in favour of teams walking off if any of their players are subjected to racist abuse, and until recently I would have been supportive if we'd been the ones to do it.

 

Without it coming from the ref first, I'm not sure I'd want us to do it now though. Post Suarez, there are plenty, including in our own wonderful press, who would just throw it back in our faces and ask why we weren't so strong in condemnation of racism at the time. In fact, in their ongoing determination to do fuck all about it, I'd half expect UEFA themselves to take advantage of this and make us the guilty party, using the supposed poor behaviour of the club to mitigate themselves, and condemn us.

 

Should have see the comments in the wail in response to ayre's statement. They (other people) already throw any anti racism steps the club takes back at us. Why, Im even surprise that really honourable gentleman mr powar hasnt come out and backed the club.

 

he's always at the forefront of any anti racism campaign, isnt he? Isnt he? Oh, erm........

[amli]

Good chance there'll be some sort of incident tomorrow.

What with us being a major European club with large viewing figures and with a diverse squad, their "manifesto" will get a great opportunity to get broadcast to a large audience.

Edited February 13, 2013 by amli
"" around manifesto

[magicrat]

This has massive potential for going horribly wrong and getting the club embroiled in another load of shit over racism.

It is unlikely to be a black and white ( no pun intended) case of crowd being racist , team walks off . If the whole crowd starts racist chants the minute the whistle goes then fine walk off. What happens if one person shouts something do we walk off? What if its two people, twenty, hundred ? What is the threshold ? Who makes the decision ? Will the scoreline/ clock influence the decision ?

If we take a unilateral decision to walk off tomorrow we will be questioned on all these issues. The double standard accusations will be all over tabloid rags saying we tolerated Suarez's behavior when he abused Evra . Ayre should have sent a very loud and public message to UEFA insisting they protect our players from racist abuse and firmly put them in the spotlight to police the game. Instead of that he has threatened action that has every possibility of blowing up in his face. From what I have seen and heard of Ayre he doesn't come across as the sharpest tool in the box.

[Code]

Er, is it in dispute they arent after their fans sent that public 'dont buy blacks or gay players' letter to the club?

 

I guess Ayre is just setting UEFA and the ref's expectations if there is some abuse going on.

 

There have been no complaints to Uefa or the Russian federation about problems of this nature at Zenit games this season so I actually find this whole thing a bit embarrassing from our club if I'm honest.

 

Its like clubs going public before they play us, that they have sent a letter to Ayre warning us they will take actions against any racism behaviour from Suarez against their players.

[Fugitive]

There have been no complaints to Uefa or the Russian federation about problems of this nature at Zenit games this season so I actually find this whole thing a bit embarrassing from our club if I'm honest.

 

Its like clubs going public before they play us, that they have sent a letter to Ayre warning us they will take actions against any racism behaviour from Suarez against their players.

 

A 20 second search on google found this.

 

Zenit fans are racist, admits Dick Advocaat - Telegraph

 

BBC Sport - Zenit St Petersburg fans are no good and racist - Samba

 

BBC News - Racism in Russian football: Zenit fans let side down

 

‘Zenit most racist team in Russia’ — RT

 

Racist fans scare M’Vila away from Zenit — RT

[Code]

A 20 second search on google found this.

 

Zenit fans are racist, admits Dick Advocaat - Telegraph

 

BBC Sport - Zenit St Petersburg fans are no good and racist - Samba

 

BBC News - Racism in Russian football: Zenit fans let side down

 

‘Zenit most racist team in Russia’ — RT

 

Racist fans scare M’Vila away from Zenit — RT

 

Mostly old articles fuge or related to earlier incidents.

 

No one are denying there are racists in Russia just like no one are denying there are racists in the UK and more importantly no one are denying racism was a major problem in English football 30 years ago.

 

But most importantly, is not what Ayre is doing here also racist?

[Code]

I also think Ayre has contributed in creating a very hostile environment here, I would rather he had said nothing and dealt with this behind closed doors if we felt that was needed.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Mostly old articles fuge or related to earlier incidents.

 

No one are denying there are racists in Russia just like no one are denying there are racists in the UK and more importantly no one are denying racism was a major problem in English football 30 years ago.

 

But most importantly, is not what Ayre is doing here also racist?

Fucksake, you are a babbling sack of mad at times.

 

It's not about there being "racists in Russia" - it's about the fact that Zenit fans publicly declared themselves hostile to black and gay players just a few months ago.

 

Now - explain why you're suggesting Ayre is being racist (or do the decent thing and take your meds, retract the statement and apologise).

[xerxes]

What Ayre said was fair enough.

 

There is a case for saying that after the Suarez debacle Ayre should have kept his mouth shut, equally there is a case for saying that he needs to sharpen up, and this is evidence of him doing so.

 

My own view is that quiet diplomacy is best. A word with UEFA beforehand to express our concerns, and a request that they have a word beforehand. By so doing the temperature is not raised and we would be in a strong position if someyhing does happen to query the effectiveness of Zenit/UEFA'a assurances. But he will learn.

 

I doubt whether much of note will happen out there, the forecast for this evening is minus six.

[thesouthafrican]

Mostly old articles fuge or related to earlier incidents.

 

No one are denying there are racists in Russia just like no one are denying there are racists in the UK and more importantly no one are denying racism was a major problem in English football 30 years ago.

 

But most importantly, is not what Ayre is doing here also racist?

 

Jesus Christ.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Mostly old articles fuge or related to earlier incidents.

 

No one are denying there are racists in Russia just like no one are denying there are racists in the UK and more importantly no one are denying racism was a major problem in English football 30 years ago.

 

But most importantly, is not what Ayre is doing here also racist?

 

Fucking hell.

[Lurtz]

Code in "look how much of a stupid cunt I am" shocker.

[Sugar Ape]

This is the image my mind projects whenever I read Code's views on racism.