Ban these racists! After suffering deplorable abuse, Rose
calls for Serbia to be kicked out (but UEFA don't even report it on website…)
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UPDATED:
10:58 GMT, 17 October 2012
Danny Rose has demanded that Serbia be given a ban from international football after he was subjected to 90 minutes of racist abuse in Tuesday night's Under-21 European Championship play-off.
The England youngster said monkey chants were directed at him even during the warm-up in Krusevac and continued throughout the game.
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Reaction: Danny Rose (right) made a monkey gesture to the crowd after allegedly receiving racist abuse
Dismissed: Rose is shown a red card by referee Huseyin Gocek after kicking the ball into the crowd in reaction to being subjected to racist abuse
Consoled: Jack Butland comforts Danny Rose as the England team leave the field
Sportsmail Comment
How much longer do we have to put up with the sickening racism that accompanies so many of England’s games against eastern European opposition
The shameful scenes in Serbia were depressingly familiar – vile chants and racism from the fans and disgraceful provocation and punch-ups on the pitch.
The last time this happened to England’s Under 21s five years ago, Serbia were fined a pitiful 16,000 by a spineless UEFA. What a pathetic deterrent that turned out to be. This time, though, there has to be a punishment to fit the crime.
And that must mean expulsion from international football for Serbia. Nothing else will do if this night of shame is not to be repeated yet again.
Stuart Pearce's team won 1-0 on the
night courtesy of a stoppage time Conor Wickham goal and reached their
fourth consecutive European Championship finals.
But violence erupted at the final
whistle as Serbian players, coaching staff and supporters confronted the
England team in 'disgraceful' scenes.
Rose was sent off after the end of the
game for a second bookable offence after kicking the ball into the
crowd and he made gestures to the Serbian fans as he walked off.
The Tottenham Hotspur winger,
currently on loan at Sunderland, said he had been subjected to racist
abuse every time he went near the crowd.
Rose told Sky Sports News: 'They
started the monkey chanting straight away. I asked the lads if they
could hear it and they said they could hear it.
'Halfway through the warm-up I went to 'Wigs' [Steve Wigley], the assistant manager, and told him what was happening.
Video of the sickening monkey chants at the final whistle
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Brawl: The fight breaks out between England and Serbia Under 21s on Tuesday night
'He said I had to try my best to get through it and they would deal with it straight away after the game.
'Every time I went to get the ball for
a throw-in, the fans started monkey chants. I was hit in the head by
two stones thrown from the crowd.
'After 60 minutes, my mind wasn't really on the game. I was so angry and it was so hard to concentrate.
'I could have cost the lads the game by making mistakes through not concentrating.'
Disgraceful scenes: Players of both Serbia and England clash on the pitch after the final whistle
Rose said his emotions boiled over at
the final whistle, seconds after England has secured their passage to
the finals in Israel 2-0 on aggregate.
He added: 'We'd scored and after 90 minutes of racist abuse I just expressed my emotions when we scored.
'The next thing I know, the Serbian players have run over, surrounded me and they're pushing me.
'I remember getting slapped twice and then I got ushered away. I've kicked the
ball and he's sent me off even though the game has finished by then.
'As I walked off there was monkey chanting again. They have to be banned – I don't understand how they can run from it.'
But in an ominous sign, a UEFA website report of the match failed to mention either the racist abuse or the brawl at the final whistle.
Rose's dismissal was given a fleeting mention but the reason wasn't provided and quotes from Pearce didn't allude to the disgraceful events at all.
No mention: UEFA's official online match report didn't talk about the incidents at all
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In horrendous scenes at the end, a mass brawl erupted between players and coaches.
England goalkeeping coach Martin
Thomas was butted and assistant head coach Steve Wigley was kicked in
the stomach. England goalkeeper Jack Butland also had a seat thrown at
him.
The FA will demand
UEFA take action and head coach Pearce was appalled. He said: ‘It was
quite disgraceful. The scenes at the end were very sad.
Assault: England coach Martin Thomas is headbutted by a member of the Serbian coaching team (right) as Stuart Pearce looks on
Twitter reaction
RIO FERDINAND @rioferdy5
England and Man United defender
'Let's see if UEFA are serious or will they just treat this U21 incident as a minor… as they have before with their laughable punishments..'
ANTON FERDINAND @anton_ferdinand
QPR defender
'I wonder if Blatter is gonna say they should just shake hands!'
STAN COLLYMORE @StanCollymore
talkSPORT presenter
'Seen 3 runs of post match scenes in Serbia now. Verdict. Ban them from competitive football for 12 months,let them stew.Fines not working. A tournament ban would be acceptable.We know that won’t happen though. Expect Serbian FA to raid the shrapnel from their sofa for the fine.'
BENIK AFOBE @Afobe
Bolton striker
'Horrible scenes by Serbia players, staff and fans at the end of the England u21 game. Their nation should be ashamed. #Disgraceful'
JASON ROBERTS @JasonRoberts30
Reading striker
'DRose, well done! I propose next time everyone walks STRAIGHT OFF THE PITCH!!! Then we will see how quickly “authorities” take to sort it… I am FULLY condoning ALL Players picking up the ball and walking off the pitch..at ANY LEVEL..GAME DONE!! See how quickly things change…'
TITUS BRAMBLE @19tmb
Sunderland defender
'Its a disgrace the way the serbians have acted in the u21 game. Uefa will look into it and fine serbia virtually nothing. Its embarrassing'
'One
or two of the technical staff from the opposition, and I don't include
their manager in that, didn't cover themselves in glory on the pitch at
the end.
'Punches, headbutts were thrown, and God knows what else. We will let the authorities deal with this at UEFA.
'I’m very proud of the way my players
behaved. It got very volatile very quickly. But you could see the
collectiveness among the staff and the players in the way we all looked
out for each other.
'All we know is we have given a good
account of ourselves over two matches, we have won nine out of 10
matches in qualification and I am very proud of my team.'
Pearce added: 'It is very sad, but we are united as a team and a staff. A
lot is happening in our country with regard to stamping out racism and I
am very proud of the reaction of our players towards the end.
'It is a real shame because over two
ties, it was a really close game – two good teams going hammer and tongs
at each other.
'It is just a shame it was soured in the last few minutes
of the second leg of the tie.
'The important
thing, when the dust settles, is we are going to a championship because
we deserved to over two legs.
'Our players have put a lot of hard
effort and sweat to get there. There is a real collectiveness here. We
will let the authorities deal with this.'
An FA statement said: ‘The FA
condemns both the scenes of racism and the confrontation at the final
whistle during which time our players and staff were under extreme
provocation.
'The FA has reported a number of incidents of racism to
UEFA. These were seemingly aimed at a number of England’s black players
by the crowd.’
The FA's stance was immediately supported by Kick It Out chairman Lord Herman Ouseley.
He said: 'First and foremost, the thoughts of everybody at Kick It Out are with the England under-21 players and coaching staff, and our colleagues at The FA, in Serbia.
'These are ambassadors for our game and to see them treated like this is a disgrace. Tonight's events must be acted upon and the campaign praises The FA for taking swift action in reporting a number of racist incidents to UEFA.
'It is now down to UEFA as the regulatory body governing this fixture to investigate the matter fully, and is an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to ensuring incidents like this don't happen again.'
On Wednesday, Downing Street strongly condemned the ugly incidents and called for Serbia to face tough sanctions.
Sports Minister Robertson wrote directly to UEFA President Platini calling for action to be taken.
The minister said: 'The scenes at the end of the game last night were disgraceful. I have written to UEFA president Michel Platini, in support of the FA, urging them to investigate immediately.
'Racism in any form is unacceptable and must be stamped out. We would expect tough sanctions from UEFA on anyone found guilty of racist abuse.'
Prime Minister David Cameron was also 'appalled' by the ugly events.
A Number Ten Downing Street spokesman said: 'He was appalled by the scenes that we have seen in Serbia.
'We are determined to stamp out racism internationally and at home and we are giving our full backing to the FA's complaint on this issue.
'Clearly it is for UEFA to investigate this issue but we would expect tough sanctions. If we are going to stamp out racism from football, then it is no good giving derisory fines, as have been handed out in the past.
'It is not good enough to say that people should shake hands and forget about it.'
Ganging up: England coach Steve Wigley (centre) is thrown to the ground by Serbia players and coaches
Turning ugly: Wigley fights back as the situation escalates at the Mladost Stadium in Krusevac
If UEFA listen to the calls, they
would ban Serbia from the next Under 21 European Championship and
impose stringent sanctions available on their senior team, such as
making them play every home game for the next four years behind closed
doors.
This is not a knee-jerk reaction.
Serbia are repeat offenders. In 2007, when England and Serbia met at
this level at the finals in Holland, Nedum Onuoha was subjected to
racial abuse.
Serbia players also brawled with England at the final
whistle, charging at England’s bench when Matt Derbyshire had made it
2-0. What was the punishment A 16,000 fine. That sends out a message
that these thugs can continue regardless. And they do.
UEFA'S SOFT STANCE ON RACISM
The governing body has an awful track record when making a stand against racism.
In October 2002, the Slovakian football federation received a paltry 18,000 fine after Ashley Cole and Emile Heskey suffered abuse from supporters during a Euro 2004 qualifier in Bratislava.
Cole and Heskey were also abused in Macedonia later in the same qualification campaign, alongside Sol Campbell, but the fine was just 16,500.
When the Croatian FA were reprimanded after their fans were found guilty of racist abuse in a Euro 2008 quarter-final with Turkey, the fine was 10,000.
Racism surfaced once again on England's travels in Bulgaria in September 2011, the local FA received a 34,320 punishment. Ashley Young, Cole and Theo Walcott were targeted.
And at the finals in June, UEFA clamped down on both Russia and Spain for 'improper conduct' and racist abuse, but the combined fine was 40,335.
To put this into perspective, UEFA fined Nicklas Bendtner was fined 80,000 and banned for one match after revealing the logo of a betting company on his underwear while celebrating a goal at Euro 2012.
Trouble starts: A fireman removes a flare thrown onto the pitch by Serbian fans
Tempers frayed: Serbia and England players come together in ugly scenes after the match
The FA's statement in full
'The FA
condemns both the scenes of racism and the confrontation at the final
whistle during which time our players and staff were under extreme
provocation.
'The FA has reported a number of incidents of racism to UEFA following the fixture.
'These were seemingly aimed at a number of England black players by the crowd. The matter is now with UEFA.'
Walking outside the stadium before
kick-off, this did not have the feel of a normal Under 21 game. Groups
of men prowled, casting suspicious, threatening glances at those who
were clearly not locals.
Inside, fireworks were frequently set
off after the game began and at one point, the stadium announcer made a
plea to the Serbian crowd ‘not to throw any more pyrotechnics’.
Still
they continued. Bangs here, little explosions there, they threw a seat,
lighters and coins at Butland and similar at Rose.
Worse would follow in the form of
racist chants. Marvin Sordell appeared to be subjected to them when he
went down for treatment towards the end of the first half and spoke with
referee Huseyin Gocek as he left the field at the break.
The FA reported unspecified
incidents of racism to UEFA at that point. None, it should be noted,
came from any of the Serbia players, just some of the morons in the
seats near to the touchline.
Sadly
it got worse. ‘There was a lot of racist abuse from the stands and a
lot going on after the game, which is hard to take,’ said England
captain Jordan Henderson. ‘It’s not nice but we kept our heads. I don’t
understand why Danny was sent off — I didn’t see he did anything wrong,
other than get abused.’
Fury: England striker Marvin Sordell (right) gives his Serbian counterparts a piece of his mind
Peacemaker: Andros Townsend (centre) separates Danny Rose (left) from Sasa Markovic
Wickham secured England’s passage,
tapping in to give England a 2-0 lead on aggregate. Serbia’s goalkeeper
Branimir Aleksic was up the other end of the field as his side chased
the goal that would have levelled the tie and Tom Ince broke to set up
Wickham.
Unable to take any more abuse, Rose
celebrated in front of Serbia’s fans at the final whistle. At that
point, all hell broke loose. Thomas and Wigley were attacked and punches
were thrown in England’s direction.
Former
England midfielder Paul Ince, father of Tom, fumed: ‘If it was me,
they would be kicked out for the next five tournaments. This takes us
back to the dark ages.’
Punch: Serbia goalkeeping coach Srdjan Maksimovic (centre) raises his fist during a scuffle
Rage: Serbia assistant coach Dejan Govedarica (centre) attempts to keep the opposing players apart
Professional
Footballers' Association chairman Clarke Carlisle backed calls for
Serbia to receive a 'significant' international ban.
'You should not have to experience
those scenes in this day and age. It was utterly deplorable behaviour,'
Carlisle told BBC Radio Five.
'It's quite farcical. A guy is racially abused and then he gets punished for containing his reaction to that.
'We
saw how the whole debacle progressed into punching, kicking… We saw
photos of headbutts going on in the staff. But Danny Rose for kicking a
ball away ends up getting himself sent off. This is just wrong.
'UEFA
need to make a standpoint here and more importantly FIFA, I feel,
because it was a FIFA qualification tournament. The message has to come
from the top down that this behaviour will not be tolerated.
‘There were one or two other incidents
which were quite sad that came from the technical staff, not just the
players,’ said Pearce. ‘The authorities will deal with that hopefully.
The one thing I can do is be very proud of our players. Under
provocation, we held our dignity.’
After defending stoically on the field, it would have been easy for England to start swinging back when red shirts came charging. That they stood firm was to their credit. Amazingly Serbia Under 21 coach Aleksander Jankovic refused to accept his squad’s role in the brawl.
He said: ‘For a fight it takes two sides. It is a big question to say it was provoked from our bench. We will analyse it tomorrow. A riot on the pitch It looked a good game to me.’
Yet Pearce had praise for his opposite number. ‘I must commend (former Aston Villa striker and now Serbia technical director) Savo Milosevic, who came to our dressing room and apologised,’ said Pearce. ‘Their manager also conducted himself in a right and proper manner.’
Too few did not. To see Rose march from the pitch and make gestures to those who taunted him, out of sheer heartbreak and rage, was one of the saddest incidents this observer has ever witnessed.
Yet, until UEFA act, these events will continue. Rather than talk about re-jigging tournaments and wondering how much more money they can make, let’s see them take a stand. Do you think they will Draw your own conclusions.
VIDEO: Danny Rose gets sent off after the brawl…
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