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Dyer: I Agree With Tyrone, Johnson and Patel Hypocrites
Tuesday, 13th Jul 2021 14:54

Blues U23s manager and former England international Kieron Dyer says he witnessed “English football at its worst” both during and after Sunday’s Euro 2020 final at Wembley and firmly backs ex-Town defender Tyrone Mings’s comments regarding home secretary Priti Patel.

Dyer, 42, attended Sunday’s game in which England were beaten 3-2 on penalties by Italy after a 1-1 draw.

Following the match the three players who missed their spot-kicks, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, were on the receiving end of racist abuse on social media.

Dyer, capped by England 33 times during his playing days, said he saw the ugly side of football in this country.

“I was actually at the game at Wembley, I saw English football at its worst with regards to the fans before the game, after the game, rioting and trying to get into the stadium, just fighting each other in the streets, just drunken fights,” he told Mark Murphy’s breakfast programme on BBC Radio Suffolk (3hrs 17mins 37 secs).

“And when the penalties were going on, I don’t know if you’ve read my book, but I spoke about one of the big things about playing for England being the fear.

“And I feared for Saka as he was walking up. I wasn’t worried about him keeping us in the competition, I knew that if he missed the stick that would be coming his way would be vile. And that’s proven to be the case.


“I will say it’s a valid point that if a white player had missed a penalty he would have got stick, but I don’t think it would have been the level of stick that the three black players got.”

While home secretary Patel and prime minister Boris Johnson subsequently spoke out against the social media racism, the duo were widely accused of hypocrisy for failing to condemn fans who booed players taking the knee as an anti-racism statement in the run-up to the competition, most notably by former Blue Mings, who was a member of the Euro 2020 squad.

“England were taking the knee before games and the fans were booing,” Dyer continued. “The players, [manager] Gareth [Southgate] , Harry Kane, the England captain, they all came out and said this wasn’t a political stance, this was what the squad felt was needed to try and get a sense of people feeling equal, equal opportunities for black players, and the England fans were still booing.

“I think Declan Rice made a valid point, he said that when you’re winning, everyone can jump on the bandwagon, you find out who the real fan is when you lose.

“And again, it’s taken England to lose and three black players to miss important penalties and we’re here again with this vile abuse.

“I 100 per cent agree with Tyrone Mings, I think she’s a hypocrite, I think Boris Johnson’s a hypocrite, them coming out and saying 'this is all wrong'. They were part of the problem initially. They didn’t get behind this at the start when it needed it.”

Should Patel, Johnson and Ipswich MP Tom Hunt, who spoke out against taking the knee suggesting the England squad should be making their point in a different way rather than via “divisive political gestures”, have shown solidarity with the players from the beginning?

“One hundred per cent. When he [Hunt] says we need to come and show a different way of getting the message across, the only different message I can see is black players refusing to play for England,” Dyer reflected.

“OK, we’ll do that then and what is going to come from that? Black players suffer, the white players suffer, the England football team suffers.

“They came up with a policy they thought would work to show that they won’t stand for racism, it hasn’t worked and it’s sad that we’re here.

“The only reason I went to Wembley was because I wanted to witness history, I wanted to be there to say ‘I was there’ and I come out of that stadium with all the trouble that was happening seeing the ugly side of the English game.”

Regarding the social media companies, Dyer added: “I was on one of the TV platforms, it might have been Sky, and they asked me these same questions and I said it just goes to show how important racism is to certain people that when there was this European Super League, the whole country, every single presenter, every platform was up in arms going crazy about this - ‘they’re ruining our game’.

“It was like the end of the world. I wish they showed the same energy about racism and taking the knee.

“We had three days of staying off social media. Do me a favour. Why doesn’t every top sports star come off social media for the whole year? Let’s see what Twitter and Instagram would do then. I’m telling you now, they would help these people straight away because they need these superstar talents who have got millions and millions of followers.”


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Steve_M added 15:03 - Jul 13
Well said Kieron.
26

Scuzzer added 15:04 - Jul 13
In fear of being labelled a pedant...actually saying “English football at its worst” is not correct. It was actually our first major final in 55 years...so it was a case of 'English football at its best'. What should have been said is 'English society at its worst'.
19

BigBlueJim added 15:10 - Jul 13
Absolutely spot on, well said Dyer.
14

DerbyBlue76 added 15:11 - Jul 13
Great comments by Kieron Dyer. The reaction by the England players has been really humbling to see. They are only young and speak with such dignity and understanding - I am really proud of the way that they have reacted
23

Bluearmy_81 added 15:13 - Jul 13
Well said Kieron. Dog whistle populism wins votes but divides and ruins nations. G Neville also called Patel out for the hypocrite she is.
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Bert added 15:14 - Jul 13
Totally agree. At times I am ashamed to be associated with the English flag because of its association with the far right. Booing another country's national anthem is one thing but booing players showing their solidarity is another. Patel couldn't bring herself to say it was wrong but there lies the hypocrisy of some, not all, politicians. I get it that some don't feel the same about BLM but they should respect those who on a daily basis are subjected to racism. I hope that at Portman Road we do not witness such things and if we do that the club will act.
16

Europablue added 15:16 - Jul 13
Patel and Boris were consistent on this one issue. They are against racism and prejudice, they just don't like the form of taking the knee. In England we have the right to protest, and that includes taking the knee and booing the taking of the knee. Mings, Dyer, etc. are basically saying that if you don't agree with the way I oppose racism, then you are a racist.
If they didn't take the knee I would be in full support of the anti-racism drive if it weren't based on US politics and something that actually happened in our country, taking the knee is not English.
-6

Europablue added 15:19 - Jul 13
Bert It was shameful that we were booing other national anthems and for that matter booing every touch of the opposing team and then shining laser lights on opposing players, all disgusting and unsportsmanlike. I love our flag and country. It is nothing but a symbol of our nation, don't give it away to far-right or far-left crazies and support it with pride.
18

Europablue added 15:23 - Jul 13
What I would love to see is a show of solidarity with the construction workers in Qatar who are building the stadia that will host the world cup and are suffering in slave-like conditions and dying in large numbers due to lack of health and safety.
I'm torn between boycotting the tournament and using it as a platform to highlight the horrible conditions and the persecution of gay people and second-class treatment of women, etc.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 15:28 - Jul 13
💯
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OldClactonBlue added 15:47 - Jul 13
Racists are evil. Racism is evil.
And failing to oppose it in the current environment is the same as supporting it.
3

Europablue added 15:55 - Jul 13
OldClactonBlue It's absolutely ridiculous to say that failing to oppose something is the same as supporting something. It is really bad to fail to oppose something like racism or communism, but we don't need people to come out opposing these things explicitly. I am going to assume by default that any decent person is against racism or communism or Nazism, or any other evil. Most people who come out against obviously bad things are just virtue signallers, and at worst are trying to hold power over others.
3

Jugsy added 15:57 - Jul 13
bluedispare - 'i'm not a racist but...', thanks for qualifying your disposition. Clearly you don't identify with the problem and from the sounds of your post, you never will. Taking the knee was supposed to show togetherness in the opposition of racial hatred and inequality, why does it make you so uncomfortable? It's actually a positive thing, it's trying to be progressive and move things forward. Your stance is resistant, angry and lacking empathy. The evidence is there for everyone to see that not enough is being done, the leaders of this country show clear disregard for the issues and as a nation we continue to allow idiots to abuse people because of the colour of their skin. It's intolerable and unacceptable. If you're uncomfortable with these issues being elevated to you, how about think of a constructive way you can engage to improve it - that's how we 'just get on with each other'.
7

Jugsy added 16:01 - Jul 13
Europablue - racism and communism are so far removed from each other. Discriminating against someone because of their skin colour and a political ideal are not in the same ballpark. And in this, I think you find the problem in how you view the issue of racism.
1

Bazza8564 added 16:04 - Jul 13
Taking the knee is not a sign of stepping into US politics, irrespective that it is the same physical action , its is our players' way of making a point. A very good point. White players and black players, willingly and for each other.
When Harry Kane, Gary Neville and whole host of other players tell us that action needs to be taken to help protect the well-being of their black colleagues, we should be standing alongside it, not nit-picking and pointing fingers elsewhere.
I was absolutely ashamed to be English yesterday, three young lads who doubtlessly will live with missing penalties for their whole careers, who give everything on that pitch are then abused for the colour of their skin, its just mind numbingly ignorant.
I grew up in Ipswich in the 1970s and was at Portman Road at a time when the Afro Caribbean population was growing after the settlements in the 1950s and I stood alongside those lads the same way i would today, proud to have a fellow Ipswich fan alongside me whatever their background.
Patel and Johnson were plain wrong by not condemning the booing 6 weeks ago, they gave license to a culture of division and the idiots amongst the population took, and continue to take, full advantage.
Ive watched players like Jonny Miller all the way to Rakeem Harper over 50 years. They play for my team then and now and i respect their backgrounds and abilities alongside any other town player.
Whilst the actions of sunday night's twitter cretins remains in society, clearly we should continue to keep this at the forefront of our minds, and actions.
Once the "no surrender to the IRA" brigade start behaving with a bit more decency on skin colour, ill stand behind them, but not yet!
11

IpswichToon added 16:04 - Jul 13
Our fans' behaviour is exactly why the rest of Europe always cheer against us.

I can't imagine we'll be given the honour of hosting any major tournament finals any time soon. Well done to all the tw@ts involved.
10

jnp2408 added 16:07 - Jul 13
bluedispare if you can't see or accept that this is a real problem/issue, then you are part of the problem.
2

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 16:07 - Jul 13
There is a section of English society that is both bigoted and yobbish, and unfortunately many of them seem to use football as a forum for their narrow-minded attitudes. I was ashamed to hear Danish supporters - including women and children - talking of being abused and even spat on. Although I have no evidence, it wouldn't surprise me if the Italians suffered the same fate, inside and outside the ground. Looking at things from abroad, I think Britain, and England in particular, is fast gaining a reputation as the pariah of Europe. Of course, there are thankfully plenty of people who condemn the attitudes I have described (witness the response on the Rashford wall), but it is important to continue to speak up against these yobbish characters who still seem to think Britain is some kind of colonial power. I get the friendly rivalry, but let's keep these international tournaments as football festivals, not as a re-enactment of WWII.
12

bluesteel added 16:10 - Jul 13
If football thinks taking the knee for another season is helping fight racism, well you keep the politics, I'm interested in sport and enjoying an afternoon.
in that case you can keep football and its millionaires
8

MattinLondon added 16:11 - Jul 13
@ihatecanaries
silent majority, woke, leftist…congratulations you've just won ‘gammon bingo'.

0

62WasBest added 16:30 - Jul 13
Sorry "Bert", but booing another country's national anthem is the first step towards racism. It is unnecessary, mis-directed, disrespectful and boorish. The hostility in football has increased over the years generally. Rival clubs have now become enemies and when I read Norwich and their fans described as "The Scum " on this very site I cringe. It's not "witty banter", it's downright offensive. It isn't just at this club that this mentality exists though, and has pervaded the Home International countries for eve longer. Ironically, I know from personal experience, many living in north Suffolk have supported Norwich over Ipswich over the years, maybe for a multitude of reasons, but the A11 was always much easier to navigate to get to a game for many. And shock horror, lots of folk in Suffolk have family in both counties due to criss-crossing of the border over years, and therefore split allegiances. So, in short it is extreme tribalism that is at the root of racism and football's hooligan problem.
6

westernblue added 16:40 - Jul 13
Well said, Kieron Dyer. Lucid, measured, and devastatingly accurate. What Tyrone actually said in his tweet is surely the wisest thing to appear so far in this debate. Referencing the Home Secretary's responses, these were his words: ‘You don't get to stoke the fire at the beginning of the tournament by labelling our anti-racism message as ‘Gesture Politics' and then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we're campaigning against happens'. As (Tory) MP Johnny Mercer put it, the painful truth is that Tyrone Mings is absolutely right.
7

Europablue added 16:41 - Jul 13
Jugsy I think you really missed my point entirely. I said that people don't need to denounce bad things, because that is the default. The same applies to racism, communism, Nazism, holiganism, or pedophilia. You are really stretching to suggest that my views on racism are distorted somehow by thinking that these things are all bad.
This whole debate about racism is political. We are almost entirely agreed on the fact that racism is bad and we don't want it to exist, the way that we address the issue is the political part. BLM is an American organization that has communist leaders, and came most to prominence after the death of George Floyd, whose killing was in no way proved to have been racially motivated. To assign a racial motive is to politicize a horrible incident. Taking a knee is an offensive symbol of subserviance. Racism is a more complicated issue than white vs black. Supporting the black lives matter movement is not inclusive of all races and is divisive, maybe designed to be so intentionally.
Clearly the issue of fighting racism needs higher prominence, but it should be done through kick it out, which is the non-political organisation against racism.
-5

Europablue added 16:49 - Jul 13
62WasBest It really depends on what the attitude is towards Norwich fans. I used to join in with the chant "we beat the scum 2-1" without any hatred towards anyone. The word "scum" is pretty offensive, but it isn't about any characteristic of a person, it's just a club that you choose to associate with. If it motivates people to disrespect them, then maybe we should consider that behaviour. Then again I wouldn't disrespect a flag or national anthem of a club/national team or advocate any violence against someone based on their nationality or team that they support.
1

Vanisleblue2 added 16:52 - Jul 13
Europa Blue- OMG.........OMG....OMG
-3


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