Tomas Soucek is already a Hammers legend as far as I’m concerned and his comments on racism, which he claims were misunderstood, make no difference to that.
He explained there were cultural differences between the Czechs and Brits and that taking the knee may well be cancelled before next season.
He added he sees it as a shame that certain things aren’t allowed to be said because presumably many will disapprove. I agree. Political correctness has often taken the place of freedom of speech.
I’m with him all the way and the issue of knee taking will become major before the next season with newly promoted Brentford having stopped the practice believing it is now nothing more than tokenism!
So every week somewhere on a Premier League pitch there is going to be a very mixed reaction among the fans. This needs sorting.
Soucek make his view clear saying: “But it’s like everything — an interesting gesture that will attract attention, but will it help anything? That’s the question.”
Perfectly valid position to take as is Brentford’s along with those who feel differently.
My personal view is unimportant but I was pleased to hear Tomas make his bravely. An honest and intelligent man…and pro with West Ham a fortunate club to have him.
If he were to leave now I would remember him as one of our greats and in my book has no reason to apologise for anything!
100% agree with you.
Completely agree, how often have we been told politics and sport do not mix and yet taking the knee is an overtly political statement linked to an organisation most do not support; at best teams and national teams are being naive, at worst they are alienating themselves from fans who do not support racism in any way but at the same time see nothing but tokenisms. I’m not sure I would currently feel worse about Soucek leaving than ai would Rice ( though I’d be devastated if either left ), such is his influence on he team in my opinion. A modern day footballer with values we can all understand and admire not often I get to write that. Hope Czech Republic get off to q good start today!!
Hello Hugh, you talk of freedom of speech in an article around hate speech and bemoan what you describe as PC I hope you don’t mind me giving an idea of the reality of such behaviour, I’m physically disabled and look differently to most of society, due to this I
face abuse and that abuse has led to me being too afraid to leave my house alone as I am vulnerable. I am absolutely certain you would find that unacceptable, but to those who use such language towards me they are merely exercising their freedom of speech. Please be aware that this whole idea of hatred of minorities is nuanced, not a simple case of free speech versus PC gone mad, the words spoken have consequences for many of us. Many thanks
Well said Dougie…..it is hard to understand that there is an other side and that people ARE affected. A point very well put… I do hope that the tide turns and that common sense and sensitivity return to a once understanding and objective nation.
Soucek and Coufal are indeed fine players who absolutely fit the mould of how Moyes wants us play, Soucek has called it as he sees it, he’s entitled to that surely! For me, having held a long term relationship of thirteen years with a Czech woman and visiting their beautiful country countless times I adore the Czech culture and the passion they hold for their nation too.
You made an interesting point Julian regarding “ taking a knee” aligning it with an overt political stance, it couldn’t be further from the truth, nor is it subservient ( bending the knee is taken from Game of thrones tv show), whereas Colin Kapernick NFL fame, knelt through “ star spangled banner, US anthem, as he felt that the words and sentiments were not applicable across the whole of society, therefore taking a knee became a symbol for highlighting inequality, nothing more or less.
I’m proud of my club West Ham United, I’m born and bred in east London, a more culturally diverse community than most, I’ve supported us spanning six decades now and I’m black and proud, and I don’t know one person of colour who links the gestures of the players before games with politics, it just isn’t interconnected within our community.
We have to stop this false narrative of the gesture, I hope my reply is posted because it is so important that the message of equality for all of us remains, humanity must win.
Well put….DJ.
I hope this doesn’t turn into a major row as we’re all on the same side! But if I was sitting in a pub with you guys I’d say the same thing: taking the knee is nothing to do with any political movement, that’s been made very clear. Some people tried to set up a BLM political group but that didn’t take off and is nothing to do with taking the knee. The message of taking the knee is very simple – stop abusing people because of the colour of their skin. That’s it.
I agree Hugh that people need to be able to air their views, absolutely. But common sense tells us when someone is saying what they genuinely think, and when they are saying things they know – or should realise – are insulting and racially motivated.
Personally I’ve been involved in political campaigning in the past and I’d say that taking the knee is now having little positive effect and causing dissent, so I think it should be replaced with something else to keep the message going. (Basically what Wilfrid Zaha has said). But in the meantime, surely we should be supporting a message that simply says ‘no racial abuse’?
Time to take your boots and socks off to combat racism. It’s clearly the only gesture that’ll. I’m at and defeat racism. Come on premier league!