Who leaked the Hodgson comment?

Now the actual comment itself, no harm whatsoever in my mind. Blown completely out of proportion by the media.

But apparantly there was a player who leaked this, which leads to the question of who?

Now the player who leaked joke to press must be a) already comfortable/cosy with journos and b) have reasons for grudge w/ Hodgson.

Story came out in The Sun, one would assume the player would have connections with them. He might have a history of doing it. I can;t see one of the younger players risking themselves either.

I think the signs point to Super Frank personally. Wouldn't be the first time he's kicked up a fuss after being benched *cough* AVB *cough*

I don't think Frank would care that much to do it. After all the abuse he's gotten from the Wembley crowds over the years he was probably happy to play a bit part and be rested for the Chelsea game on Saturday.

It was Jonjo Shelvey!!! He's so white nobody saw him after he snuck in and was lying against the tiles in the shower room.

Frank tells Harry, who then tells the sun, who he works for.

Just a harmless mention to somebody.

No malice in it at all I would reckon.

I've got no problem with someone being offended by this, I'm almost 100% positive it wouldn't have been meant in an offensive manner but if someone who isn't familar with the saying heard it then I can understand why they'd be taken aback by it.

While I'm sure Roy's intentions were completely innocent I do think he has to be more aware of what he says and to who he says it, saying "Feed the Monkey" as an instruction to get the ball to a black player is understandably offensive to someone within the conversation.

Roy probably doesn't see a black player or a white player, just an England player and while he didn't mean to cause any offence, I can understand if it has offended someone,  I'm sure Roy will understand that though and be happy to clear the air with any player who didn't quite understand the context.

While I think its much ado about nothing, I also think a footballer or even a member of the backroom staff who didn't understand the context was more than entitled to feel uncomfortable with the comment,  hopefully now everyone will be aware no offence was meant and everyone can learn and move on.

Is it naive to think only a black player would have leaked/taken offence to this?

Anything you say these days is classed as racist. It's a complete pi*s take, nothing wrong with Hogdson comments what so ever.

Oh my mistake, at least one player has taken offence.

Hmmm, who would be left-wing and overly PC?

My money's on James Milner - always the quiet one to look out for.

Or maybe John Terry snuck into the dressing room, and got offended by it. He is sensitive to race issues after all...

Apologies if anyone thinks I'm being racist, but surely only one of the black England players would have been offended.

Which after Townsend's said he wasn't offended, narrows it down to;

Welbeck
Sturridge
Smalling
Gibbs
Defoe
Sterling

You'd be surprised at how many people feel offended on behalf of others.

I'm waiting for the day that a pundit says that Defoe is a "shadow of his former self" and the PC brigade get said pundit fired for "racism".

One of my best mates is of Asian decent, when we were younger I got into a fair few scraps with people being racist to him, I always tried to hide it from him incase it hurt him, so I could easily see why a white person could be offended by a racial remark.

I've challenged people in the past for making a racist remark, usually directed at a footballer despite there being no black guy with me or to my knowledge near me.

Like I said, I'm pretty confident being Racist was the very last thing on Roys mind but given what was said I don't have a problem with anyone having an issue with it if they didn't understand the context, hopefully now everyone is aware it most certainly wasn't meant as an insult with no intention of being derogatory

My guess is Rooney.
Not the brightest around.

The most 'monkey-like' player in the England squad is Rooney, why would he be offended?

Rooney was one of the first too defend him, whose to say it was even a player?

It might be innocuous, someone may have told the press the analogy used at half time to give an insight into how Roy motivates the team, the press may then have run with the racism angle

I think it was Gary Neville who misheard Roy and thought he'd said we need to "feel the monkey". He was concerned that Roy was suggesting the players sexually assault young Townsend as often as possible and felt that this tactic, whilst admittedly having the potential to stop the opposition in their tracks, might not be the best utilise on a regular basis in the hope of winning the World Cup

Now I know the media in this country will try to disrupt England's preparation for the world cup, and will most likely carry it on through to the world cup itself, but I did think they'd wait one or two months before doing so.

Not one or two days!

Disgusting.

perhaps the dressing room is bugged .

Duty281 wrote:Now I know the media in this country will try to disrupt England's preparation for the world cup, and will most likely carry it on through to the world cup itself, but I did think they'd wait one or two months before doing so.

Not one or two days!

Disgusting.

I stated the same at the end of the England game, the redtops will as usual do everything possible to cause disruption and infighting in the camp on the journey to Brazil.

And then they'll moan that the team spirit isn't right. I tell people this all the time, the papers are only concerned with sales, they are not doing anything for anyone else's benefit

There is an obsession with non stories these days. Pleb-gate, now this.

All part of the gathering synthetic outrage and faux-fence which people are so keen on these days.

Just a quick general comment. Hodgson appears to be an educated and thoroughly decent man with no racist agenda whatsoever. It is a great shame that too many people today seek to be offended first rather than try to understand the context in which a valid and helpful point was made.

I'm not so much aiming that at any thicko footballers who got upset - I accept it wasn't particularly savvy of Hodgson to speak as he did during the hurly burly of a half-time talk - but the usual professional brigade taking up cudgels on their behalf.

If anyone should be offended, it's Smalling! The poor guy was basically told that his role in the team is to give the ball to someone else!

Complete non-story. Although I'd love to know who leaked it.

Didn't Roy Hodgson once play or coach football in Apartheid South Africa?

Wonder if the media will revive that story...

Hodgson speaks more languages than the entire England team combined. In fact he would do if he spoke just two.

This is a storm in a tea cup.

Agree

As it was the Scottish Sun it was leaked to, I would suspect the only player in the England team who plies his trade north of the border - Fraser Forster.

Whoever it is needs dropping.

Whoever thought it was something that was A) Newsworthy, and B) remotely racist needs a good slap.

The newsworthy thing about the story is that there is a complete idiot in the England team, who a) needs to take a good, long, hard look at themselves, and b) needs psychiatric help for going to a journalist instead of the England hierarchy.

As Hodgson has said, the players are furious too. I'd not want to play with someone so obviously bone-headed again. Imagine if England reach the WC final, then the day before the final this player comes out and says to his journalist mate, "Roy was playing Guess Who with Gary Neville last night and he said 'does your person have coloured skin'"

Because he's trying to rule out black, asian, chinese etc, not just one type of ethnic minority.

Azzy Mahmood wrote:The newsworthy thing about the story is that there is a complete idiot in the England team, who a) needs to take a good, long, hard look at themselves, and b) needs psychiatric help for going to a journalist instead of the England hierarchy.

As Hodgson has said, the players are furious too. I'd not want to play with someone so obviously bone-headed again. Imagine if England reach the WC final, then the day before the final this player comes out and says to his journalist mate, "Roy was playing Guess Who with Gary Neville last night and he said 'does your person have coloured skin'"

Because he's trying to rule out black, asian, chinese etc, not just one type of ethnic minority.

There are 11 of them Azzy in every starting line up.

Apparently, it might was a white player who leaked this. I'd have to go with the earlier guesses on who it might have been. If that's the case, then he really should be axed from the squad.

I was also incredibly annoyed by Piara Powar's comments on the issue "Hodgson used a very silly term in a diverse team environment". It's perfectly clear what Hodgson was saying. There was no hint of racial undertone. To me, that's just crying wolf. The problem is that his stance actually weakens the fight against racism. How can people take FARE seriously when it raises such unreasonable and illogical objections?

super_realist wrote:There is an obsession with non stories these days. Pleb-gate, now this.

All part of the gathering synthetic outrage and faux-fence which people are so keen on these days.

Agree that this is a non-story, but pleb-gate isn't (I don't wanna hijack the thread by explaining why). Pleb-gate is a really important story.

If an MP or anyone called me a pleb I couldn't care less. Far too much is being made out of the whole story.

I liked how Darren Gough explained it on Talksport:

1. Hodgson was talking about an animal
2. If the person who complained thinks that Hodgson was inferring that Townsend is that animal, then they need professional help.

It's absolute lunacy. Whoever the person is needs to own up, take the shame, take the abuse from the terraces, and try to rebuild their career. But before all that, they need to see a professional. They have serious psychological issues if they think Hodgson was calling Townsend a monkey.

You have to remember these morons didn't go to school for long.

They don't know about the difference between something being literal or figurative, or what a simile or metaphor is. Doesn't excuse them of course.

Roy Hodgson by some considerable distance is too clever for this team, probably cost him his job eventually.

Embarrasing story. I reckon it was probably a member of the coaching staff or an official of some kind. Gary Neville had a face like thunder at the end, he'll know. Hopefully Carragher can coax it out of him on an MNF  

Anyway, fully expect it to be leaked out who did between now & our first group game. More likely a couple of days before our first game, just to unsettle the good vibe & feeling in the group. Typical media.

Focus should be on the WC, not this garbage story.

Azzy Mahmood wrote:I liked how Darren Gough explained it on Talksport:

1. Hodgson was talking about an animal
2. If the person who complained thinks that Hodgson was inferring that Townsend is that animal, then they need professional help.

It's absolute lunacy. Whoever the person is needs to own up, take the shame, take the abuse from the terraces, and try to rebuild their career. But before all that, they need to see a professional. They have serious psychological issues if they think Hodgson was calling Townsend a monkey.

I don't think anyone would have taken it that way. I'd imagine it was someone deliberately trying to stir up a hornets nest for their own reasons. Hence why whoever it was should be dropped immediately and permanently.

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:Hence why whoever it was should be dropped immediately and permanently.

Amen. Now let's hope it was Michael Carrick  

Hope it was No Forehead

My guess is Forster, but if not, I hope it's one of the following: Carrick, Lampard, Gibbs or Defoe. Those are the four guys involved in the squad who I don't want to go to Brazil.

The thing being missed in all of this is why Hodgson spent four minutes talking about f*****g NASA instead of bloody team tactics. I can think of better ways to get the best out of your fifteen minute break and stories that start off "Eeeh when I were a lad.." aren't in any list I could compile

Actually you can see how it will unfold. Squad is announced, fly to Brazil. On the eve of the first game the 'leak' is revealed by the journalist or a rival paper as a key first team player. Think of the sub-division that would cause before the WC over in the hotel. Roy's trust in that player gone, plans in tatters, rifts between the player in question & the rest of the team about why they didn't reveal themselves. It's potentially a ticking timebomb, if it's a key player.

Roy's two tactics for the WC are now revealed too.
When we're favourites - 'give it to townsend at all times'
When we're up against quality - 'ok boys, you know the drill, 4-5-1, remain tight & compact & try & win 1-0. Oh & Milner your playing'.

I think Hodgson should just think up interesting historical anecodotes, have a one to one with each player and start waffling about Hannibal and his elephants etc. Then when the papers write, "Hodgson claims Rooney is lumbering overweight oaf", he can pin point exactly who the **** stirring little **** is.

DAVE667 wrote:The thing being missed in all of this is why Hodgson spent four minutes talking about f*****g NASA instead of bloody team tactics. I can think of better ways to get the best out of your fifteen minute break and stories that start off "Eeeh when I were a lad.." aren't in any list I could compile

Who are you to question the methods of the England manager who's unbeaten after all 14 competitive matches in charge and who's just guided England to World Cup 2014 as group winners? I don't care if he talks about NASA or the Teletubbies if it means success.

As to the comment itself, I would say its probably not the smartest thing to use the phrase "feed the monkey" - even if its a NASA analogy, when talking about getting the ball to a black player.

Good thing is Townsend apparently took it in the manner in which it was intended and none of the other players who have commented so far, seem to have an issue with it. Kudos to him and the (majority of) the squad who acted like the mature intelligent adults we wish they were more of the time.

It is patently obvious that no offence was intended and no actual racial abuse was involved. The worst you could say is that Hodgson was perhaps a little racially insensitive...but you'd have to be a Jeremy Kyle fan (or a tabloid journalist) to blow it up into a major issue, the way it was...


...or the Society fo Black Lawyers...

However, another campaign group has sent a formal complaint to the FA in which it calls for an independent investigation into the issue.

In the four-page complaint, Race for Sport, an off-shoot of the Society for Black Lawyers, says the decision to consider the matter closed is "unacceptable". It also demands "cultural intelligence" training for Hodgson and all football managers.

How irrational is that?

Even Stan Collymore said that kind of behaviour doesn't help the cause to stamp out racism, as it makes campaigners look uptight, over-sensitive and overly-PC.

For the record, my money's on the dressing room being bugged...

The Society of Black Lawyers can burn in hell for all I care. If they had it their way we would turn up to matches, sit in silence, cheer our teams goals, and them bugger off home in single file.

dyrewolfe wrote:As to the comment itself, I would say its probably not the smartest thing to use the phrase "feed the monkey" - even if its a NASA analogy, when talking about getting the ball to a black player.

Good thing is Townsend apparently took it in the manner in which it was intended and none of the other players who have commented so far, seem to have an issue with it. Kudos to him and the (majority of) the squad who acted like the mature intelligent adults we wish they were more of the time.

It is patently obvious that no offence was intended and no actual racial abuse was involved. The worst you could say is that Hodgson was perhaps a little racially insensitive...but you'd have to be a Jeremy Kyle fan (or a tabloid journalist) to blow it up into a major issue, the way it was...


...or the Society fo Black Lawyers...

However, another campaign group has sent a formal complaint to the FA in which it calls for an independent investigation into the issue.

In the four-page complaint, Race for Sport, an off-shoot of the Society for Black Lawyers, says the decision to consider the matter closed is "unacceptable". It also demands "cultural intelligence" training for Hodgson and all football managers.

How irrational is that?

Even Stan Collymore said that kind of behaviour doesn't help the cause to stamp out racism, as it makes campaigners look uptight, over-sensitive and overly-PC.

For the record, my money's on the dressing room being bugged...

The racists are the ones who go purposely looking for something in an innocent statement. It's the same synthetic outrage we get from over-sensitive Muslims too.
Sure it would have been the same if he'd been referred to as a "cheeky monkey".
I take it that bananas are off menu in the England camp due to connotations and also that Lambert will no longer get a game due to his associations with Bristol City, the home of the British slave trade.

It's bloody pathetic.

dyrewolfe wrote:As to the comment itself, I would say its probably not the smartest thing to use the phrase "feed the monkey" - even if its a NASA analogy, when talking about getting the ball to a black player.

Good thing is Townsend apparently took it in the manner in which it was intended and none of the other players who have commented so far, seem to have an issue with it. Kudos to him and the (majority of) the squad who acted like the mature intelligent adults we wish they were more of the time.

It is patently obvious that no offence was intended and no actual racial abuse was involved. The worst you could say is that Hodgson was perhaps a little racially insensitive...but you'd have to be a Jeremy Kyle fan (or a tabloid journalist) to blow it up into a major issue, the way it was...


...or the Society fo Black Lawyers...

However, another campaign group has sent a formal complaint to the FA in which it calls for an independent investigation into the issue.

In the four-page complaint, Race for Sport, an off-shoot of the Society for Black Lawyers, says the decision to consider the matter closed is "unacceptable". It also demands "cultural intelligence" training for Hodgson and all football managers.

How irrational is that?

I wonder who they propose should conduct this training? The only thing the society for black lawyers care about is raising their profile and drumming up business. In some ways, they are a great advocate for their cause, because they show that black or white, lawyers are lawyers.

I agree that these anti-racism groups are not helping to stamp out racism by attacking hodgson for his comments. It was clear that no racism was intended and it was clear no offense was taken so why the need to blow this out of proportion. All it does is make the public grow sceptical of these groups and when there is a real racism incident in the future the anti-racism groups will not get the support they should get due to their past history of blowing non racist incidents out of proportion.

The story of the boy who cries wolf springs to mind.

That's the thing though these days, the slightest, most tiny thing is blown out of all proportion. The reaction to such things is always a lot worse than the initial point.

Dreadful pressure groups like Liberty, Society for Black Lawyers etc need to get a sense of persepective as they just end up with zero credibility due to their over reactions.

Think he played for Bristol Rovers sr.

Could be wrong though.