Severe punishments are in order for those behind Wembley violence
TAKING the knee as a gesture against racism will mean nothing if the relevant authorities don’t adequately punish the sort of behaviour witnessed at England’s World Cup qualifier at Wembley this week.
As far as I am concerned, that means identifying the Hungary supporters responsible from film that clearly shows their faces and making sure they end up in prison either over here or back home.
I was sickened by what I saw. It was a throwback to the sort of violence we saw at our football grounds during the 1970s and 80s, with an even more sinister motive.
Those Hungary fans who were somehow allowed to take a banner into Wembley depicting a figure bending the knee with a huge black line through it might as well have carried a sign saying ‘We Are Racists.’
They are a disgrace to their country and to football. Graphic scenes of violence against police were captured on camera, one guy throwing left hooks like there was no tomorrow and another kicking everything that moved.
Somehow, we have to ensure this stigma on the game is nipped in the bud. Hungary have already been ordered to play home matches behind closed doors because they can’t control their fans and I believe they should be banned from all competitive football.
I have nothing against their people in general or the country. But if they were deprived of international football altogether it would force them to take action in the courts to banish the offenders, who at the moment are laughing in the face of authority.
It is well known that the sort of trouble we saw at Wembley is often arranged on the darker social media sites and these must be thoroughly investigated.
Are we serious about eradicating racism from the game we all love? I don’t think so unless we come up with sufficient deterrent for those who are never going to change their minds through seeing players taking the knee.
The Hungarian fans booed that gesture at Wembley, again announcing their racist attitude for all to see and hear.
I am not singling them out. If England fans went abroad and were guilty of the same sort of behaviour, I would equally advocate them being sent home and to prison in this country.
The sight of police with batons ultimately being forced to retreat by a rampaging mob in a football stadium is not one I want to see again.
We are talking about sport, not war. Those who died for us in the two great conflicts of the 20th century will have done so in vain if we cannot ensure a safe environment for people of all races and religions to attend our national game.
Football has to take the lead in identifying the racist fans and making sure they are reported. Then it is up to the police and the courts to make sure they never want to offend again.
If I had been a Hungary player at Wembley, I would have been furious as well as embarrassed by what went on in the stands.
I thought the team gave a great account of themselves and actually surprised Gareth Southgate with their work-rate and ability to stifle England’s attacking threat.
At times they made us look ponderous and I know a lot of England fans get frustrated when we play the ball across the field without any great urgency to get it forward.
Playing out from the back was a tactic instigated by Barcelona and brought into English football by their former manager Pep Guardiola. He likes his Manchester City team to dominate possession to such an extent that it not only wins games, but also humiliates the opposition.
That means protecting the ball from the moment it leaves your goalkeeper’s hands. When properly used, the tactic allows a team to draw opponents forward and creates the opportunity to load players into an area of the pitch the manager wants to exploit.
The trouble is that few teams are blessed with the ability on the ball of Barcelona and Manchester City players.
Even at international level, teams like England can come unstuck if opposition such as Hungary are wise to the tactic, press the ball by working hard and force errors in dangerous positions.
At club level, where the players are less gifted on the ball, you see numerous instances of teams losing the ball in their own half.
Having said that, the opposite tactic of knocking long balls forward early for a big target-man, is now treated with derision by supporters.
Managers who employ that method are regarded as dinosaurs. So, I think a degree of patience is needed as teams try to play more football from the back.
England have rarely underperformed under Southgate and it is the nature of football that you are not going to win every game.
One of our problems is that we don’t face enough quality opposition in qualifying games for the World Cup or Euros.
While no away game in international football these days is a formality, we often string what seems an impressive run of results together against teams we should beat.
You have to give the Hungarians credit for the way they performed last Tuesday night and I prefer to do that than slam the England players.
Sadly, the efforts of both teams were totally overshadowed by what went on around them and no attempt should be made to brush it under the carpet.
I want to hear positive news about the culprits being dealt with as stringently as possible. Otherwise, those of us desperate to wipe all elements of racism out of football are simply wasting our time.