I think the ones that can make an impact and resolve this are the media giants
WHAT THEY SAID...
JURGEN KLOPP
‘With social media in general, we obviously have the problem that people can hide behind whatever account and say what they want to say. That’s a problem that really has to get sorted on this planet as quick as possible. ‘I got criticised quite a lot in my life, and not only recently. And the advice I would give is that people you don’t know, people who are not really interested in you, people who don’t want to help you with criticism, don’t listen. Don’t listen. ‘They need a forum. They need people to read it and take these kind of things seriously. That’s how bullying works, that’s how blaming works, that’s how shouting works, how harsh criticism works. If you cut that side off, then it’s already helped a lot and it cannot harm you. ‘That’s my advice to the players. The rest, I don’t really understand enough the need for social media. I know there are some good things for sure, but a lot of things are just not important, and for you as a person if you can cut them off then it’s already a step in the right direction.’
JOSE MOURINHO
‘The club is thinking, analysing every detail, and the club of course wants to make an impact and the decision that the club will make will be a decision that of course we will accept and support, but it is an internal discussion about a sad situation. ‘In relation to Davinson (Sanchez), of course there is nothing more to add about the sadness of the situation but I would just say that he found a lot of love internally because he’s a lovely guy and everybody likes him and supported him and he’s fine. ‘I think the ones that can make an impact on this and resolve the problem is the media giants, I think everything is in their hands to end this sad situation. Social media can be funny, can bring everyone together, can bring people from different continents to look like they are living in the same street. ‘I have some fun, I try to be positive and that is the way it should be. Unfortunately it is not like that but I believe even doing different things is not going to be with individuals. ‘It is for the media giants to make a decision and to make their fight. If they want to win that fight, they win it for all of us.’
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER
‘I respect other clubs and players and managers whatever they do, if it’s boycotting or shutting down their own accounts. ‘We’re making progress as in it’s awareness and it has been raised. Loads of clubs, ourselves included, want to work with all the social media companies to get rid of it. For me, it’s important that we work together with them and find a way out of this.’
DEAN SMITH
‘It should be a unilateral ban throughout all of football. We need to make a stand with this. ‘At the start of Project Restart it was ourselves and Sheffield United who started taking the knee to make a point, one which I believe was well made. Change has happened since. ‘We need to do the same again. When all football has a blanket ban on social media then other media companies need to follow and make sure this racism and discrimination of all kinds is eradicated once and for all. It should be a blanket ban by football in general in the UK, not just one or two clubs going individually. ‘Is it the only way the companies will listen? I think it is, and even the people who are writing these terrible things on social media, it might make them take notice as well.’
STEVE BRUCE
‘I’m right behind the actions they have taken, I applaud those clubs. The abuse that I’ve taken on social media… for me, it’s a scourge, we should ban it all. I don’t see any benefit. Ban the whole lot as far as I’m concerned. No social media, for me, would be the way forward. ‘It’s about time people are accountable, like with your phone. I do think the platforms should be policed better. ‘Some of it, and I’ve seen it, is vile. If you’re vulnerable, and people are abusing you… young people of today are constantly reading it and getting abused. If you’re a little bit fragile then it can damage people. My son came off because of the abuse he was getting and my daughter has done the same. It’s not right.’