MARSCH: WE MUST CHANGE THE GNONTO CHANT LYRICS
JESSE MARSCH has called on Leeds United fans to be ‘ more respectful’ and modify their controversial chant about forward Willy Gnonto.
Sportsmail revealed last week that complaints have been made about the song for ‘perpetuating a racial stereotype’ as it includes a reference to the size of the player’s penis.
Leeds are understood to be consulting with fan groups over the chant and want supporters to change the last line from ‘his c***’s f****** massive’ to ‘ he plays for United’.
Ahead of tonight’s match with Aston Villa, manager Marsch said: ‘ We always want to be respectful. In our sport, it is so important to maintain high levels of respect.
‘Our fans are great. They show passion, they want the team to be successful, they can be hard on the team sometimes and hard on me about what we are doing, and we understand that.
‘I love how much they love Willy. I walk around my house whistling the tune in my head sometimes. But is there a way to modify it, to be as passionate but more respectful?’
The song has been defended by some of the club’s fans and Clarke Carlisle, the former Leeds defender and PFA chairman, has sympathy.
‘We have to understand that the lyric talking about the size of a guy’s penis, the societal norm here in the UK is that it’s actually a compliment,’ he told Sportsmail.
‘But that’s something we have to educate against. We are trying to fight against those lazy stereotypes around race. Whether it is intended as a compliment or not, it is feeding into a stereotype that perpetuates the narrative.’
LEEDS manager Jesse Marsch has demanded better protection for his players from referees after Crysencio Summerville was ruled out for a month with an ankle injury.
The Dutchman was hurt during a nasty tackle by Cardiff defender Tom Sang in the FA Cup third round game last weekend. Marsch is furious at some of the challenges which Summerville and Willy Gnonto — one of the Premier League’s mostfouled players — have received in recent weeks. ‘Opponents have tried to bully them,’ said Marsch, who welcomes striker Patrick Bamford back into his squad for tonight’s trip to Aston Villa. ‘Frankly, I don’t think the referees have protected those two players well enough. I would like to see referees protect attacking players more. It is about managing it in the match to make sure that the players that most fans come to see have the best chance of being on the pitch.’ Meanwhile, Leeds are understood to have agreed a club-record deal worth up to £35.5million to sign French forward Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim.