The now-former BBC pundit´s comments highlight the burden placed on players to somehow tackle the racism they sufferIt´s worth reading the comments made by local BBC pundit - now former BBC pundit - Craig Ramage in the wake of Derby´s 1-1 draw with Huddersfield on Sunday. `When I look at certain players,` Ramage judged, `their body language, their stance, the way they act, you just feel, hold on a minute, he needs pulling down a peg or two. So I´d probably say that about all the young black lads ... that, you know, it´s about, when you are struggling for form, you are going through a sticky patch, it´s about going back to basics, working hard, and doing the right things.`Well there you go. Ramage has now been relieved of his duties by the BBC, though it was notably left to a 22-year-old Derby player to publicly challenge the comments. On Sunday, defender Max Lowe spoke out on Instagram `on behalf of black footballers at Derby Country ... Racial ignorance, stereotyping and intolerance negatively affects the image of impressionable young footballers and creates an unnecessary divide in society. I am also disappointed that a public service broadcaster did not step in to ask the analyst to explain his reasoning or to distance themselves from these archaic thoughts.` Quite. And we´ll come shortly to the depressing regularity with which pushback against racism ends up having to be player-led. Continue reading...
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