Jason Roberts nearly back

[Royal Rother]

Not sure how Danny Mills meets those "qualifications".

[leon]

he's been shit at a world cup with England. I would say he probably knows the drill inside out.

[Hoop Blah]

Not sure how Danny Mills meets those "qualifications".

To be fair to Danny Mills he ticks a lot of boxes as the 'ex-pro' on the commission.

He played at the highest level, both Champions League and World Cup. He made his break through at a smaller club but coming through the England age groups at the same time then played for bigger clubs as well.

Perhaps more importantly he's an intelligent guy who speaks his mind and talks a lot of sense. His role(s) in the media have kept him in touch with the game and he's probably watched a lot of football since hanging up his boots and has come forward with opinion and ideas. That's already more than a lot of soundbite pundits and those offering comment.

[No Fixed Abode]

Seriously Lee

Most folk couldn't give a flying one for gays, blacks, lefties....whatever....they have become (and possibly rightly so) invisible

I have become so tolerant over recent years that I could get a job with the samaritans....

....however it strikes me that some "gays, blacks, lefties, whatever" feel the need to be noticed and to create hysteria wherever they can.

Live and let f11cking live, it works both ways

This is it. The likes of Jason Roberts are trying to create a culture where employers are frightened/bullied into taking on minorities whether they're the best person for the job or not for fear of persecution.

That company is racist because they have no black employees
That company is homophobic because they have no gay employees

Blah blah

Racism/homophobia isn't a massive problem in this day and age in the UK. There will always be a minority who ruin things, but that happens in other scenario's too.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Sounds like a bunch of angry white men using an angry black man using the black card as an excuse to talk shit, as an excuse to talk shit.

Dicks all round. Especially those posting page-long twitter quotes of things to get angry about.

Don't read it if it bothers you.

[Ian Royal]

Sounds like a bunch of angry white men using an angry black man using the black card as an excuse to talk shit, as an excuse to talk shit.

Dicks all round. Especially those posting page-long twitter quotes of things to get angry about.

Don't read it if it bothers you.

some of us angry white men talking shit think that racism in football and in general is an important issue that deserves to be taken seriously and there is still a way to go. And that spurious calls of racism on the most innocuous and innocent of comments actually harm the fight, not help it.

It's much easier to dismiss racism as not a problem when you get examples of supposed racism in the media that absolutely aren't (even if most agree its not and the whole thing is ludicrous).

[Extended-Phenotype]

Where would we be without the handy black-man-in-the-wrong pass card?

Daily Mail would be completely empty for a start.

[sandman]

Racism/homophobia isn't a massive problem in this day and age in the UK.

How do you know? Are you Black, Asian or Gay or all three?

[Extended-Phenotype]

I expect he's in a minority of some sort.

[ZacNaloen]

It is a problem, it's just not so obvious anymore because the racists are the minority now.

There are still societal problems though, mostly because old men who even if they don't think they are racist still make decisions as if they are.

[Ian Royal]

It is a problem, it's just not so obvious anymore because the racists are the minority now.

There are still societal problems though, mostly because old men who even if they don't think they are racist still make decisions as if they are.

involuntarily euthanase everyone over the age of 60 and the problem that remains halves.

[andrew1957]

It is a problem, it's just not so obvious anymore because the racists are the minority now.

There are still societal problems though, mostly because old men who even if they don't think they are racist still make decisions as if they are.

involuntarily euthanase everyone over the age of 60 and the problem that remains halves.

That would only give me 4 years and a week or so left and for that reason I am out.

Even you should know that 60 is the new 40.

And by the way I am not a racist!

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

And by the way I am not a racist!

Some of your best friends are black, right?

[andrew1957]

And by the way I am not a racist!

Some of your best friends are black, right?

Jokes apart I think people are people. Most of my black friends don't have a huge chip on their shoulders and just get on with life. But if you "look" for racism you will find it. I have to say I do find JR somewhat annoying as his and other activist's constant calls for political correctness do as much harm as good IMO (the ridiculous farce of the Roy Hodgson joke last week being a case in point). In general we have become a very tolerant society and in my business and personal life I could not care what colour people are. I judge people by their character and how they act.

[Ian Royal]

It is a problem, it's just not so obvious anymore because the racists are the minority now.

There are still societal problems though, mostly because old men who even if they don't think they are racist still make decisions as if they are.

involuntarily euthanase everyone over the age of 60 and the problem that remains halves.

That would only give me 4 years and a week or so left and for that reason I am out.

Even you should know that 60 is the new 40.

And by the way I am not a racist!

I ain't going to be crying about you having 4 years left if it means my Mum gets the chop now, now am I.

[peterroyal76]

Not sure how Danny Mills meets those "qualifications".

I'm not saying he does have the right 'qualifications', but he was of a few to apply. He's played at the top level, he also said he has a great interest in youth football development as he has three young sons playing football.

A lot of other ex pro's talk a good game and then come up with excuses for why they shouldn't be involved at least Danny put his money where his mouth is.

[RoyalBlue]

Of course some of the expressions used in our society have racist origins and/or connotations.

However, Roberts seems obsessed with trying to show that anything which can, in anyway whatsoever, be vaguely associated with past racist treatment/insults is fundamentally racist, even when used in a completely correct and non-racist context.

So how long before we hear him spouting off when someone in football makes the 'mistake' of saying 'I want to talk to the organ grinder not the monkey'?

I suspect that if Roberts was made Chief Editor of The Oxford English Dictionary it would shrink dramatically in size.

No question Dario Grady is the man when it comes to youth development, he's not one those I was talking about obviously. I doubt Jason thinks he doesn't deserve a place there either. England manager is another obvious appointment. I'm not entirely sure what makes Rio qualified other than being a black player near the end of his career, is he involved in youth development at Manchester united?

Anyway I agree with Jon Barnes on this issue, you can't put someone not qualified onto a panel like this. So the question really should be why are not enough black coaches/dignitaries/whatever qualified enough to be on this panel? Only then if there are you can ask, why aren't there they there.

Spot on!

The appointment of Rio has just made the matter even worse - just can't help thinking of that character in South Park. There surely have to be far better qualified candidates, if it is felt that we should have a black person on the commission, in order to redress balance issues.

[Millsy]

It's ok to be racist against Chinese and Indian because they're also types of food.

[Extended-Phenotype]

What we need to do is establish a Ministry of Racism, and appoint a bunch of white folk to be in charge. Then they can work it all out and let the black folk know what they can and can't be offended by, and what they can and can't talk about in public.

[SPARTA]

Good to see Roberts is nearly back...