As people were debating should Klopp have run onto the pitch or questioned the suitability of Dier’s ‘sssh’ing gesture, news was breaking that a banana skin had been thrown into the direction of Aubameyang. It dawned on me why we have silly rules, such as being booked for removing your shirt, is for the minority of idiots who are ruining the game.
Here I am asking for players to be allowed to show personality, show character; give Derbies moments to remember. Yet the sad reality is the sport’s governing body can see that there is a percentage of grown adults who can’t cope with the trauma of the opposition having a laugh at their expense. Think about that.
Men and women who have families, go to work, who experience adversity daily feel like they can resort to racist hatred once in the bubble of a football stadium. I’d like to say the individual in question must have something wrong with him
to plan such an action. The reality is if his boss asked him to do something he didn’t like or he was in a queue at the post office, abusing another human being would not enter his head.
If I was in front of Dier on Sunday, I wouldn’t have appreciated his celebration but it wouldn’t enter my head to deal with that disappointment any differently to my daily life. I loved at the weekend seeing players care about the shirts they wore, that the fixture meant something. Dier ssshing us made it even sweeter when it was his deflection which gave
us the 3rd goal. But how can we argue that accusations of incitement are out when police have to waste their time on sick bullies?
I have heard some Spurs fans point out that if Auba somersaults anywhere else but in front of them, then the whole saga is avoided. In other words let’s have a rule where a scorer has to return to the half way line, zero emotion. Anyone who even thinks of such a defense needs educating. The moment we use ‘if’ or ‘but’ we are getting away from a zero policy.
Zero policy is the only way forward. You’re never going to 100 percent clean up the industry but the fact that Kick it Out’s research show an increase in cases reflects sanctions are not strong enough.
In the UK we are quick to document racism in other countries being ignored yet how many papers and media outlets give more column inches to Klopp. Is what Klopp did worse then what our striker had to experience? Yet the FA are quick to fine the Liverpool manager while paying lip service to the one incident on Sunday that was against the law.
You might ask what else can be done other than promises to find the culprit and ban him for life? What about a points deduction? What about away fans banned for the next fixture?
Harsh? Extreme? Good!
Maybe that’s the only way people will learn, take away the one thing that makes them become animals. How many Spurs fans would be saying it was Auba’s fault if they saw their actions have an effect on them. Let’s clarify this is not a Spurs issue. I repeat there is an increase in racial incidents. Don’t punish Klopp or Dier for provoking abuse, ask what makes those people think abuse is okay?
Dan Smith