Ban racist 'White Lives Matter' plane idiots for life - The Warm-Up
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Updated 23/06/2020 at 09:26 GMT
A plane flew over the Manchester City against Burnley match with a racist message on its tail. Those responsible should be banned from football for life.
Ban them for life - The Warm-Up
Image credit: Getty Images
TUESDAY’S BIG STORIES
White Lives Matter plane banner flies over Premier League match
On Monday night someone or some people decided to fly a plane over the Etihad. The White Lives Matter message on the tail of the plane was racist, to think otherwise is to be worryingly misinformed. White Lives Matter is not a simple statement in isolation. As a direct rejection of the Black Lives Matter movement is a direct rejection of calls for racial equality. There is no ambiguity here.
Comments under a Burnley statement on social media that condemned the plane and its banner reinforced the fact that football continues to have a big problem with racism and, thus, reinforced the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Football, it is clear, still has a long way to go to rid itself of racism. The small strides football made in making overt racism less socially acceptable within some stadiums never addressed the root cause of racism and the rise of populism across the globe has seemingly eroded those miniscule gains.
Therefore, it is incumbent on us all to amplify the Black Lives Matter movement.
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'Unacceptable' - Pep Guardiola and Sean Dyche condemn 'White Lives Matter' plane
So, for those who - inexplicably - remain ill-informed, here is the reason, per the Black Lives Matter website, why the movement began and its aims.
#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and cantering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.
The racist banner was, as Burnley captain said Ben Mee said post-match, embarrassing and shameful. Still, it is clear, some seem to think it is neither and it is incumbent on football to show those through action and deeds that racist behaviour has consequence. Therefore, Burnley must follow up on their intention to ban any fans who were involved for life.
David De Gea given rest of season to prove himself
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David de Gea of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 19, 2020 in London, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
David De Gea's form has been on a downward trajectory over the course of the last year. In fact, such has been the drop, Roy Keane has said he would be "fighting him" following his lapse against Tottenham, adding he was "sick to death of "this" goalkeeper. Gary Neville put together a more sensible analysis of the 29-year-old's form, describing the sustained drop as more than just a blip.
That worry seems to have found itself to the United boardroom, with reports suggesting that Dean Henderson's season of excellence at Sheffield United has emboldened the young keeper to demand that his agreement to sign a new contract is predicated on the fact he supersedes De Gea as Manchester United number one.
Henderson signed a new contract ahead of his loan switch to Bramall Lane last summer but that deal runs only until 2022, thus putting the 23-year-old stopper in a fairly healthy bargaining position even if De Gea's form hadn't taken a serious hit.
The keeper, reports suggest, has no intention of going on multiple loans, so United have a decision to make - take a punt, and it remains a punt, on a young keeper who could develop into a classy number one and cut ties with their four-time player of the year, or allow a potentially world-class keeper go and stick with a currently world-class keeper whose flailing form could mark a permanent descent.
A tough gig but a decent one to have all the same.
Toni Rudiger with the assist
Timo Werner made a surprise switch to Chelsea.. Not for Toni Rudiger. Nope. He was part of the whole operation.
"Like everyone, I’m very excited that he’s chosen Chelsea and I’m looking forward to working with him,’ Rudiger told Chelsea’s website.
"I’ve known him since he was 17 and he did very good in the past few years. He can be very important for us. I did speak to him before because we have known each other for a long time," added the defender.
We spoke a lot during the lockdown and he told me he was interested in coming to England. Of course, then I did my bit, what I had to do.
The pair were, of course, team-mates at both Stuttgart and for the German national team, and Rudiger also compared the forward to Jamie Vardy.
"He’s a really big threat to defenders," Rugdiger continued. "RB Leipzig is a more counter-attacking team but in terms of attacking the defensive line, he’s similar to Vardy. He has a lot of pace and if the defender makes a mistake and loses the ball, then he goes!"
RETRO CORNER
Today is Zinedine Zidane’s birthday. He is a decent coach but, my word, what a player.
HAT-TIP
Sean Dyche was fuming ahead of Burnley's 5-0 drubbing against Manchester City. The source of his ire? The club's inability to get players whose contracts are running down to extend beyond June 30, whether that be on a short-term basis or into next season - clubs have only until June 23 to negotiate short-term extensions with players in the final days of their contracts or they can leave on June 30.
Anyway, here is - put together by the good people of Eurosport - a list of players whose contracts are set to expire today.
COMING UP
There is more football. Much more football. Premier League football. Liga football. Serie A football. Lovely.
Ben Snowball will be here on Wednesday with some words.
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