The language some politicians use won’t heal the divisions in our society. It just creates even bigger problems

PARKY’S GOT BLACK CATS UP FOR CUP

MALCOLM CROSBY hopes a cup tie at Oxford proves as good for Phil Parkinson as one there was for him as Sunderland manager.

Crosby led the Wearsiders – then strugglers in the old Second Division – to a surprise FA Cup final at Wembley in 1992, when they lost to Liverpool.

Along the way, Sunderland won 3-2 at Oxford in the fourth round.

Now, new Black Cats boss Parkinson (right) faces a fourth-round trip to Oxford a week on Tuesday – but in the Carabao Cup.

And lifelong Sunderland fan Crosby – delighted the League One side claimed the scalps of Premier League Burnley and Sheffield United under former boss Jack Ross – wants the cup run to continue to boost Parkinson’s promotion push.

Crosby said: “I hope Phil does what I did – gets a win at Oxford and kicks on from there.

“Obviously, the difference is that it’s all about winning promotion.

“I would love Sunderland to go up – it would be great. There’s not a lot of money around at Sunderland at the moment. It’s not easy for the owners and they deserve some credit. “I don’t think they could have got anybody better than Phil. I know him fairly well – he was at Reading as a player when I was with Oxford on the management side.

“I think he’s a good man who’ll get the team organised.

“It might not always be pretty, but his record is good – he’s won three promotions and I think he’s a good choice.’’

Crosby was impressed with the way Parkinson, who quit Bolton in August, PICTURE: JULIAN HAMILTON handled himself when the Trotters were relegated from the Championship last season.

Players’ wages went unpaid amid a financial crisis.

Crosby added: “I’m a good friend of Tim Breacker, who was head of recruitment at Bolton.

“Phil didn’t really complain last season, he just got on with the job.

“It must have been horrendous, but he conducts himself well.’’

finished bottom of a group that also inlcuded Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain. With Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino fighting for his future, this seems the perfect opportunity for Red Star to spring a shock. A 3-0 defeat at Brighton before the international break left Tottenham 13 points behind leaders Liverpool, and followed hot on the heels of that 7-2 home humiliation by Bayern Munich. Not that Red Star, second in Group B on three points, are getting carried away. Marin expects Spurs to be a different animal after a fortnight off prior to yesterday’s draw with Watford – and England skipper Harry Kane to be as lethal as ever. The ex-Werder Bremen playmaker went on: “I’m sure Tottenham will bounce back to their best soon because they have too much quality. “They have also had time to regain some confidence with their national teams. “Take Kane, for example. He is one of the best strikers in the world. He’s shown it over many years for both club and country. He has everything a striker needs.” TEACHING REsPECT Emmerson Boyce is hoping to open his own football academy in Altrincham