What’s the difference?

In April 2004 Ron Atkinson, former football manager and ITV commentator, was forced to resign following a racist outburst after a football match. Atkinson didn’t realise his microphone was still live when he launched into his offensive remarks about Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly, following Chelsea’s defeat in the Champions League. The Guardian also cancelled Atkinson’s football column and his career in British broadcasting never recovered.

Today the Mail Online reports that Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys have been recorded making sexist comments about a female match official before yesterday’s game between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool. These are the comments about referee’s assistant (new name for linesman) Sian Massey according to the Mail:

Commenting on Ms Massey, Mr Keys said: ‘Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her.’

Mr Gray, a former Scottish international footballer, replied: ‘Can you believe that? A female linesman. Women don’t know the offside rule.’

Mr Keys replied: ‘Course they don’t. I can guarantee you there will be a big one today. Kenny (Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish) will go potty. This isn’t the first time, is it? Didn’t we have one before?’

That was not the end of the duo’s erudite banter. Commenting on an article about sexism by Karren Brady, West Ham Utd’s vice-chairman, Keys went on to say:

‘The game’s gone mad. Did you hear charming Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Do me a favour, love.’

Ron Atkinson quite rightly lost his job for his racist comments. What will happen to Gray and Keys following their sexist lament? Will they be forced to resign or will the football and broadcasting establishment try and laugh the matter off?

My young daughter loves playing and watching football. The views of Gray and Keys, who think it is funny to make derogatory comments about women, have no place in the game. I fail to see the difference between their blatant sexism and the racism that has also sullied the beautiful game.

Update: Sky has released a statement saying that Gray and Keys have apologised for their remarks. Is this enough? What if they had made comments about the linesman's ethnicity rather than her gender?

Update 2: I see that Sky have suspended Gray and Keys for tonight's game between Bolton and Chelski. Some indication that they are taking this seriously, but is it enough?

Update 3 (25th): Andy Gray has been sacked by Sky as more material has come to light.

Pundits: World Cup 2010 (8)

I’ve lost count of how many people the BBC and ITV are employing as pundits out in South Africa for the World Cup, however, I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon. The wisdom and insight offered about the World Cup is in inverse proportion to the numbers commenting and commentating on it. And so yesterday we had these stunning observation from Lee Dixon, formerly of Arsenal and England: ‘To win the world cup you have to have a good team’ and ‘Germany didn't start the competition great’ (they won 4-0!).

Commentators never let ignorance get in the way of opening their gobs and sharing their stupidity. During Germany’s destruction of Argentina on Saturday (at least England scored two against the Teutonic maestros) the camera focused on an attractive women in  the VIP section of the crowd. The BBC commentator opined: 'I'm not sure who she is, but I'd guess she's a WAG'. I am sure the Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron would be delighted to hear herself described as a footballer’s latest squeeze. Charlize is South African and helped with the World Cup draw in December. Ms Theron has a sense of humour because at the trial run through she announced Ireland in the draw, a not so subtle reference to the tragedy of Ireland being knocked out by the hand ball cheating France.

Many of the pundits rubbished the European teams in the competition on the basis of the early matches. The siren voices pronounced that we could have all South American semi finalists and went on to explain how these teams shamed European football with their skill and tactics. Now it is true that certain European teams were rubbish; England, France and Italy sought to outdo each other in the crapness stakes. What these teams have in common is aging squads packed with overpaid and technically challenged players. But now the quarter finals are completed it turns out that three of the four teams left are… European; Germany, Spain and the Netherlands (yes ITV it is the Netherlands not Holland as you insist on calling them). Suddenly the same pundits who rubbished Europe are telling us that they always knew Brazil and Argentina had dodgy defences and would struggle when faced with real opposition.

Who do we turn to for in depth analysis and reflection on who will lift the FIFA World Cup Trophy? Should we rely on some ex international footballer lacking the guts or the gifts to take on management of a team? Should we turn to an ex England manager who seems very good at seeing all the things he was blind to when running the nation’s team (yes Graham Taylor I mean you)? Should we turn to some back page tabloid hack who never kicked a ball except in some pro-celebrity charity shindig? No, there is only one fount of wisdom we can really trust.

Paul the Oberhausen Aquarium Octopus has predicted Germany’s results throughout the competition with unerring accuracy. His tentacles reach out to indicate the outcome of each match and he is even sensitive to the ambiguities of some results. Paul indicated Uruguay to beat Ghana last week, but was clearly tentative about the result; no doubt uneasy about the manner in which the cheating Uruguayan defender Suarez would take over Maradona’s mantle as the new ‘Hand of God’.

So bring on the World Cup semis and final; I’m off to gaze into my pond for informed commentary and forensic analysis.