FA chief: One of the most appalling football games I have witnessed
Greg Clarke, the Football Association chairman, said England’s players had endured “one of the most appalling nights I’ve seen in football” as Uefa faced calls last night to expel Bulgaria from Euro 2020.
Clarke hailed the team’s dignified response in twice stopping the match during monkey chants by far-right Bulgarian hooligans, adding that the time was now coming for stricter punishments from Uefa.
A host of anti-discrimination leaders remain critical of Uefa after its partial stadium ban on Bulgaria failed to have any impact on reducing racism last night.
“It’s time for Uefa to step up and show some leadership,” Kick It Out said, before adding: “Uefa’s sanctions are not fit for purpose. If Uefa care at all about tackling discrimination, and if the Equal Game campaign means anything, then points deductions and tournament expulsion must follow.”
England manager Gareth Southgate and his captain Harry Kane twice came close to leading the team off. Clarke, who described how even the backroom staff had appeared visibly upset by the chanting, said: “I mean it’s probably one of the most appalling nights I’ve seen in football.” When asked if he felt Uefa had been tough enough beforehand, he said: “I think Uefa are going to need to think carefully about the levels of abuse they can let players tolerate and they are going to have to decide who they are going to make an example of one day, but that’s after a thorough investigation.”
In unprecedented scenes for an England match, the first of a threestep Uefa protocol to tackle racist abuse was enacted following Southgate’s intervention.
Clarke said Uefa had told him the abuse was led by “50 people in the corner that were causing a lot of the trouble” and making “fascist gestures”. The group were seen marching to the exit shortly before half-time and the FA were told they “had been thrown out”.
“[Uefa] said there were isolated examples of racist behaviour, not mass examples of racist behaviour,” Clarke added. “I’m happy that Gareth was in control from our side. When the first event happened he got the players together and the announcement was made. Then the players came across the second time and he said, ‘You want to carry on?’ and Gareth said there was only four minutes left to half-time so let’s get to half-time and review it.” The players and staff then unanimously agreed they would play on.
Ian Wright, the former England forward, now a TV pundit, said Clarke should have been more critical of Uefa. The partial stadium ban had been “pointless”, he added.