Doha – Qatar, Nov 14: John Barnes, former England international and Liverpool FC player, Ruud Gullit, Dutch football legend, and Rafa Benitez, former Liverpool FC manager, today spoke at ASPIRE4SPORT, the Middle East’s leading sports business conference, on a wide-ranging panel on issues affecting football.
Giving his latest thoughts on racism in football, John Barnes said: “I will never let ignorant people affect me. But it is very divisive to set up a black footballers association. We are going to alienate and distance people if we say there is racism where it does not exist. The only way to tackle racism in football is to tackle it in society.”
On comparing football development in England with Spain, Barnes added that “In England we are 15 years behind Spain,” while Ruud Gullit said that because “the spine of the major English [Premier League teams] are all foreign, this is a major problem for the England team”.
Gullit also spoke of his frustration at the flow of young Dutch players to foreign leagues and how families are being offered financial incentives to encourage their children to move abroad. Gullit confirmed that he knows of examples where people linked to clubs have approached families of young players saying: “I will give you a job, a house, and money if your son moves abroad”. He also believes that “Holland has no chance of winning [the FIFA World Cup] right now.”
Rafa Benitez also confirmed his interest in returning to a coaching position in the English Premier League: “My priority is to coach in England as my family is there,” he said. —- By Robert Fawdon from Doha, Qatar.
Gullit also spoke of his frustration at the flow of young Dutch players to foreign leagues and how families are being offered financial incentives to encourage their children to move abroad. Gullit confirmed that he knows of examples where people linked to clubs have approached families of young players saying: “I will give you a job, a house, and money if your son moves abroad”. He also believes that “Holland has no chance of winning [the FIFA World Cup] right now.”
Rafa Benitez also confirmed his interest in returning to a coaching position in the English Premier League: “My priority is to coach in England as my family is there,” he said. —- By Robert Fawdon from Doha, Qatar.
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