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Michail Gregory Antonio

Danga

Formerly JLingz
He doesn't have a point at all, what has racism got to do with it

It's like getting caught shoplifting & claiming you should be let off because some other bloke is an armed robber

Zouma was filmed kicking f*** out of a defenceless animal that had done him no harm, he should be sacked & Antonio needs to wind his neck in

Disagree Ed. Zouma has been dropped by sponsors (rightly so) for what he did, I didn't see Adidas drop Suarez for his racist comments. I didn't see calls for players to be sacked who have been caught saying racist things on the pitch. If the book is going to be thrown at Zouma, there has to be some equivalence here to when racism gets punished, because on the face of it the punishment being handed out is far worse than the other. I don't think Antonio is saying one is worse than the other or one should be punished more than the other, but as it stands kicking a cat is more of a career ender than being found to be racist and abusing other human beings.
 

congo_red_49

Ale Ape
I'm not going to touch on the relative punishments for Racism and Animal Cruelty - it's got 'toxic subject' written all over it.

But, for me, inciting actual Physical violence (and I would include physically harming someone with racist intent in that, obviously), is a step further than anything verbal or written.
 

Eddie Yates

Steve Chettle
Disagree Ed. Zouma has been dropped by sponsors (rightly so) for what he did, I didn't see Adidas drop Suarez for his racist comments. I didn't see calls for players to be sacked who have been caught saying racist things on the pitch. If the book is going to be thrown at Zouma, there has to be some equivalence here to when racism gets punished, because on the face of it the punishment being handed out is far worse than the other. I don't think Antonio is saying one is worse than the other or one should be punished more than the other, but as it stands kicking a cat is more of a career ender than being found to be racist and abusing other human beings.

I don't see why racism is being brought into the equation or why the punishments should be compared, its a different crime & not related

This is a standalone incident where Zouma kicked f*** out of his cat & he should be punished according to that & not inline with any unrelated racist incidents, if I was caught on social media doing what Zouma I'd be sacked and rightly so & so should Zouma

Antonio is just trying to deflect away from his mate by throwing racism into the mix when clearly it's not relevant
 

Danga

Formerly JLingz
Which is a fair point Congo, but as we have seen, written or verbal abuse doesn't always end there does it? If public figures do it and it is seen as 'acceptable' that can lead to much worse.

I mean I am a white 30 year old with no experience of racism bar what has happened to my two best friends (who are both mixed race). But I would be a bit f**ked off if I saw a player effectively lose their career (which some have called for) for kicking a cat but I have been racially abused on a football pitch, the person has been found guilty, but they have been given a ban for a few games and a slap on the wrist fine.
 

Statto

Free Kick Specialist
He doesn't have a point at all, what has racism got to do with it

It's like getting caught shoplifting & claiming you should be let off because some other bloke is an armed robber

Zouma was filmed kicking f*** out of a defenceless animal that had done him no harm, he should be sacked & Antonio needs to wind his neck in

Unless I've missed something, I don't think Antonio was really suggesting Zouma should be unpunished for kicking his cat. (Nor indeed should Mason Greenwood for beating up his partner).

I think he was basically making the (perfectly valid) point that still racist abuse isn't being dealt with properly.

It's absolutely not comparable saying racist things to other players, compared to a violent attack on another person, or a defenceless animal. But all of those actions are absolutely abhorrent and have no place in society or football.

It's certainly a politician style deflection strategy but it came across as nothing more than a "yes, but... what about this, this is bad too" as though he was just using the fact the reporter had clearly ambushed him in his car to get a platform for a cause he clearly is bothered by.

If he was saying that Zouma should be allowed to kick his cat all over the kitchen, then that's an entirely different argument.
 

Danga

Formerly JLingz
I don't see why racism is being brought into the equation or why the punishments should be compared, its a different crime & not related

This is a standalone incident where Zouma kicked f*** out of his cat & he should be punished according to that & not inline with any unrelated racist incidents, if I was caught on social media doing what Zouma I'd be sacked and rightly so & so should Zouma

Antonio is just trying to deflect away from his mate by throwing racism into the mix when clearly it's not relevant

Because for the past decade, we have seen kick it out campaigns, kneeling to kick racism out of football and then those who are caught get a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again. But a player kicks a cat and it is a career ender.
 

Statto

Free Kick Specialist
Because for the past decade, we have seen kick it out campaigns, kneeling to kick racism out of football and then those who are caught get a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again. But a player kicks a cat and it is a career ender.

They have short memories too as for the past two years the players take the knee before the match. If they're then taking part in racist abuse of other players, the significance of that gesture is clearly lost on them.
 

congo_red_49

Ale Ape
Which is a fair point Congo, but as we have seen, written or verbal abuse doesn't always end there does it? If public figures do it and it is seen as 'acceptable' that can lead to much worse.

Agreed, but the punishment should fit the crime, otherwise you're getting into punishment for what people might do next rather than what they have done.
 

Danga

Formerly JLingz
Agreed, but the punishment should fit the crime, otherwise you're getting into punishment for what people might do next rather than what they have done.

And I think this is the point Antonio is trying to make (cutting out the crap). A player is found guilty of being racist, it is a fine, a ban and maybe some sort of rehabilitation. Zouma has kicked a cat, he has been dropped by sponsors, West Ham have had sponsorship dropped, he has been hit with a massive fine, a police enquiry and if the general public had their way he would be sacked too.
 

congo_red_49

Ale Ape
I think some of the public anger could probably be quelled by Zouma making a statement along the lines of he's been an idiot, he's deeply sorry, he'll be taking steps to be better...(of course, some will find that just as disingenuous as when players who have been caught making racist comments say the same things) but the silence is only fueling the anger at the moment.
 

Ilson

First Team Squad
Apparently Zouma's actions actually considered to be more outragerous than the Premier League allowing Newcastle United to be taken over by murderous tyrannical Saudis.
 

MASE

Up-Front
I think some of the public anger could probably be quelled by Zouma making a statement along the lines of he's been an idiot, he's deeply sorry, he'll be taking steps to be better...(of course, some will find that just as disingenuous as when players who have been caught making racist comments say the same things) but the silence is only fueling the anger at the moment.

That wouldnt pacify me personally, if your prepared to drop kick a cat, you aint wired up right pure & simple.
 
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congo_red_49

Ale Ape
That wouldnt pacify me personally, if your prepared top drop kick a cat, you aint wired up right pure & simple.

Me neither - but there are plenty of professional footballers who aren't wired up right - it displays itself in a wide variety of despotic behavior.
The core of the problem isn't going to be solved by booting Zouma out.
 

Mr. Blonde

Jack Burkitt
Disagree Ed. Zouma has been dropped by sponsors (rightly so) for what he did, I didn't see Adidas drop Suarez for his racist comments. I didn't see calls for players to be sacked who have been caught saying racist things on the pitch. If the book is going to be thrown at Zouma, there has to be some equivalence here to when racism gets punished, because on the face of it the punishment being handed out is far worse than the other. I don't think Antonio is saying one is worse than the other or one should be punished more than the other, but as it stands kicking a cat is more of a career ender than being found to be racist and abusing other human beings.

Both should be career ending as both are f***ing despicable
 

Timothy Pope

I know that Nuno that I know that Nuno that I know
I’ll probably get panned here - but in no way is calling someone a racist term as bad as kicking seven bells out of a cat.
Racism is rightly unacceptable, but physically abusing any living thing is far worse than a few words.


Sent from my rectum using poofinger
 

Dye a Red

A. Trialist
That wouldnt pacify me personally, if your prepared to drop kick a cat, you aint wired up right pure & simple.

Not only cruel but also thick fancy filming it. Footballers are showing themselves up one thing after another after another
 

Eddie Yates

Steve Chettle
Because for the past decade, we have seen kick it out campaigns, kneeling to kick racism out of football and then those who are caught get a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again. But a player kicks a cat and it is a career ender.

I get that & I'm not trivialising racism within the game but I don't see at as relevant to this issue

It's like saying Man U shouldn't sack Greenwood because some nob got a lenient punishment for a racist comment
 

Statto

Free Kick Specialist
I’ll probably get panned here - but in no way is calling someone a racist term as bad as kicking seven bells out of a cat.
Racism is rightly unacceptable, but physically abusing any living thing is far worse than a few words.


Sent from my rectum using poofinger

I don't think anyone is realistically suggesting that Zouma should get away with beating up his cat... Now I really love cats, but they can be absolute arses at times, anyone who knows cats knows this, and it's no way an excuse to abuse them.

No-one is really saying that the racist abuse is worse than kicking a cat either.

I suppose the difference is if a player gets racially abused on the pitch whether that's by fans or other players, it's in full view of people, it's filmed, easy to take action against, yet it doesn't happen, people get abused again, people get a slapped wrist for it, do it again like nothing happened, if a player is repeatedly perpetrating it, then they shouldn't be getting away with it, their clubs should be disciplining them, etc etc.

None of it has any place. Personally I think if it's true (and it will be, his brother filmed it) he should be fired. As should anyone doing racist abuse.
 

Rzar

Bob McKinlay
I mean what Antonio has done is played the race card for no reason but to deflect from his mate.

It is a shame because he seems like a really good guy but this is properly divisive stuff.

Disappointing.
 

Danga

Formerly JLingz
I’ll probably get panned here - but in no way is calling someone a racist term as bad as kicking seven bells out of a cat.
Racism is rightly unacceptable, but physically abusing any living thing is far worse than a few words.


Sent from my rectum using poofinger

You only have to look at parliament to see a prime example of words can lead too…
 

EmmersonForest4

Steve Chettle
I don’t think Zouma should be sacked that’s ridiculous but what he did in my view was worse than racist name calling. That’s not condoning one or the other that’s just how I place the seriousness of the 2 crimes.
 
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