Jonathan Liew wrote a good article about the narrative surrounding Sterling, still rings true 3 years on.
Raheem Sterling
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Jason Burt did on Sunday Supplement.
It is, and for good reason. And I'm extremely surprised that you seem unable to see it.
Racist abuse/discrimination tends to not be a standalone event but something it's recipients face repeatedly throughout their lives. It's not an event for them but a constant obstacle. So racist abuse faced by anyone is in the context of the prejudice they've faced all along the way. Those things leave an imprint and attacking those sore spots tend to hurt more (unless you're very strong). Whereas in most cases I doubt generic mother/sister abuses rake up deep lying pain.
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Remember when Raheem Sterling stuck up for Adnan Januazaj when he took some lass to nandos and the papers went crazy about how cheap he was. Respect to him.
Come on, he gets ridiculous stick from Liverpool fans (over and above most/all ex-Liverpool players) and there was a clear narrative perpetuated of him being greedy etc. that meant he was booed at pretty much every away game (i.e. from Liverpool fans and non-Liverpool fans alike) up and down the country during at least his first season at City. I do agree with you though, I don't think that booing Sterling proves Liverpool fans are racist, I have always just interpreted is as Liverpool fans being frustrated that he chose to leave the club for what he perceived was a team better placed to win trophies etc. I always thought it was slightly rich of Liverpool fans to be annoyed at this, given he basically did the exact same thing when he left QPR for Liverpool in the first place.
Generally though I do think it's been seen as fair game to give Sterling stick for running down his contract and joining a rival, even though Liverpool still received a big fee for him. On the flip side, City fans boo Milner for running down his contract and joining a rival on a free (when City were absolutely desperate to keep him), and the reaction from the media and other fans is always one of horror, absolutely disgraceful to boo a hard-working pro like Milner etc. There's a clear distinction in how the two are perceived. I don't know for sure that there's an element of racism in that, but it's certainly jarring to me.
It palpably puts him off his game when playing at Anfield, according to RAWK members.
Thanks. Had no idea of the origin.
Aye, agreed popper. No real justification for racial abuse, ever. It’s disgusting.
When ever I hear the words "rent boy", all I can think of is that video after Chelsea beat Liverpool to end their title dreams. That Liverpool fan with the glasses outside the stadium dropping his whole "we're going to win it, lar" act and just repeated saying "fecking rent boys, these fecking rent boys are cnuts, fecking hate them."
Chelsea supporters have form for it.
Do feel for Sterling. At least he's sticking up for himself and pointing the finger at the rags.
Do feel for Sterling. At least he's sticking up for himself and pointing the finger at the rags.
I don't think the newspapers are racist as such but try to go along with popular opinion and the fact that he refused to sign a contract with Liverpool and then signed for City makes him unpopular with United and Liverpool fans which combined are a large proportion of football fans in the UK. If you take Ngolo Kante for example, everything you hear about him is positive and he comes across very likable. If the papers were racist they could easily have used this as an opportunity to call him a Mercenary moving to Chelsea from Leicester but that wouldn't sell papers so everything you read about him is positive.
Okay, fair enough.
Good post.
Almost sweeter than the Slip. Almost.
They clearly don’t like people who splash out. Sterling and Pogba are both flashy types who like their jewellery / clothes etc. Papers hate that. They know they’re good targets to push as bad guys.
Sterling has had an absolute string of tarring articles aimed at him in particular though, no wonder he gets pissed off with it.
Football fans think they can stand there and shout whatever they like, just because they paid to go watch. I’m glad this has gone public and they’ve been shamed.
I do find it odd that The Sun/Mail have been so focused on portraying Sterling in this way. Outside of Liverpool fans and this idiot
(s) at Chelsea, most football fans you talk to about him find him rather unremarkable in personality/off pitch activities. Adam mentions he is seen as flash, perhaps I am out of touch but it has never been something that has stood out to me, certainly no more than any other young rich footballer with an ego.
It speaks to me of how irrelevant so much of written media has become in this social media age, still looking to push narratives, set up bad guys to milk for stories. Is there a racial element to to it, probably, the hack laziness of the writing would of course fall back on tired stereotypes and appealing to regressive elements.
(s) at Chelsea, most football fans you talk to about him find him rather unremarkable in personality/off pitch activities. Adam mentions he is seen as flash, perhaps I am out of touch but it has never been something that has stood out to me, certainly no more than any other young rich footballer with an ego.
It speaks to me of how irrelevant so much of written media has become in this social media age, still looking to push narratives, set up bad guys to milk for stories. Is there a racial element to to it, probably, the hack laziness of the writing would of course fall back on tired stereotypes and appealing to regressive elements.
The Sun and the Mail have been engaging in dog whistling for decades. They don't deserve the benefit of the doubt.
Look at this weapon.
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"he's asking for the racism if you ask me"
Whose Dave Kitson when he he's at home?
Very mediocre lower league center forward who had a decent six months in the Premier League over a decade. Basically a less good Glenn Murray.
Better known for his “Secret Footballer” gig writing for The Guardian.
Imagine if Sterling had done this. It’d probably knock Brexit off the front pages of the UK tabloids.
What a fecking Cnut. The world really makes me despair at times.
Massive respect to Sterling for the way he tackled this issue over the weekend. Disgraceful behaviour from those so called men.
Nobody’s convincing me that Barry, the 48 year old, Tommy Robinson worshipping welder from Mansfield is spending his spare time looking at Raheem Sterling’s Instagram. It’s total nonsense.
I would laugh if I could but I'm a bit baffled by your comment. It matters because it's against the law, as simple as that.
If the media stopped using a player's skin colour in verbal and print form would that make a difference? Why does their skin colour arise in either articles or voice media?
You would laugh but you're baffled? Should've just left the second part with the answer mate. Thanks.
Ngolo Kante stays in his lane.
He’s come to our country and works hard. According to the press doesn’t have the football intelligence of his paler skinned team mates. Isn’t flashy on or off the pitch. Drives a modest car.
He’s seen and not heard. If he was Rosa Parkes he would’ve got up and moved.
Is it just me or am I getting sick and tired of the white 'we shall determine what is racism and if you warrant being offended police'. I've seen it on the caf and in this thread too, but the media at large is a disgrace with regards to this issue. You have no say in whether or not someone has a right to be offended if a racist slight has been made... if you yourself have never been the subject of racial abuse due to the colour of your skin.
I think the press have gone way ott with sterling, it's victimising what they've been doing with him. The obsession is so strange though, they must have someone following him to find out some of the stuff that goes on.
I dont know why but I decided to listen to talksport to see how they cover this. You have basically three or four white men basically agreeing that there is no issue cos they wrote stories about Rooney (the guy who actually did things like drink driving, cheating on his pregnant wife, etc). Alan brazil topped it saying in his time he was called you 'jock this' or 'jock that' and he would just brush it off...
Seriously.
I think it was Jim White of all people that kinda shot down Alan Brazil.
Although it doesnt help that Darren Lewis (who I actually like listening to) saying that we cant use the words lazy to describe black players.
I dont know why I listened to TS.
Seriously.
I think it was Jim White of all people that kinda shot down Alan Brazil.
Although it doesnt help that Darren Lewis (who I actually like listening to) saying that we cant use the words lazy to describe black players.
I dont know why I listened to TS.
All their shows are scripted or at least prompted to get the most sensationalist reaction, all BS.
Any evidence of this? Personally seen nothing but positive stories about Kante in the press.
This and the Lingard thread are interesting reads at the moment.
Not implying anything...
Not implying anything...
So the exact point that Sterling was making is being reiterated by Kitson here. Melt.
Excellent article. The hate young people get is ridiculous. Even here in the redcafe no one talks of the insane money Mourinho gets but they cannot wait to come out with the "overpaid primadonna" players after a bad game.
Absolute bullshit.
I’ve followed Sterling ever since he first joined Instagram and don’t recall him ever boasting about his cars and house. What a cnut he is for spouting lies.
I’ve never understood the unfair racist treatment of Sterling, he has never been a cnut on the pitch like many players are, he has always come across well in interviews, you never hear genuine negative stories about him ie. cheating, drunken nights etc. so what is the issue?!
Sterling must've pissed someone off really badly high-up in the media chain sometime back for this continual racist shite.
Society has this idea of how a rich man should be and a young, relatively uneducated black man is not it.
What's 'treated fairly'? Good day, sir. We wish you well on your travels, and may many riches and trophies befall you in your endeavours at our rival club...
I don't agree with any abuse player's receive, but nor do I think we as fans have an obligation to worship the ground they walk(ed) on. Ambivalence is fine with me, They've gone, move on.
It's not a race thing from Liverpool fans (and I hope this is not what you're getting at) - Owen gets a lot more grief than Sterling - it's a jilted thing. It's about perception and how they treated the club. McManaman takes it from Liverpool fans as well. If Suarez had gone to Arsenal (in the release clause +£1 summer), he would have been on the end of it also. Not great, no, but not with malevolent racist intent with regard to Sterling, either.