Is Enzo Fernandez a racist? It ‘really does not matter’; ban him for a year

Enzo Fernandez should be handed a lengthy ban for his racist chanting, as football discourse moves on from England. Ish.

Send your views to theeditor@football365.com

How serious are the FA about racism?
If the English FA are serious about stamping out racism, nothing less than a 12-month ban will be sufficient.

It is time to send a strong message that racism will not be tolerated at all.
Brendan

Is Enzo Fernandez a racist? It absolutely does not matter
I haven’t really read much reaction about the Argentina bus chant. I’ll be honest, I’m staring down the barrel of 40 and now somehow have a wife and two kids in tow so my ability to inhale football content is not what it once was. I don’t even know if it’s been covered much on this site or mailbox before, so apologies if this is rehashing old ground.

All that being said I did want to try and clear something up if I can, something that I often think becomes the focus on incidents like this when really it shouldn’t in my opinion.

To preface, this is my opinion and mine only. I’m a mixed raced guy who grew up in South London during the 90s about a mile down the road from where Stephen Lawrence was murdered. I’ve always had a tricky relationship with football as a non-white, especially as a Chelsea fan who used to go to games when he could.

Football has a racism problem but I ascribe to the view that society has a racism problem, football is merely one of the many mediums it’s expressed through. It doesn’t shock me when it rears its head, I wasn’t shocked by the footage. Well that’s not true, I was shocked that they thought it was a good idea to stream that to the world but that’s not the point.

The point I wanted to make was a lot of the discourse I saw online – some from well-meaning, sympathetic participants – seemed to concern itself with whether the people singing the racist chant were racist or not. I am here to tell you, it really does not matter.

There is this persistent myth that there is any material difference between saying something racist and being a racist. Let me assure you, there is not. We’ve seen it with Ron Atkinson, John Terry, Peter Beardsley, Mark Sampson, Malky Mackay (to name the few that came to mind) – this attempt to separate the words/actions from the internal motivation, as though this is somehow a defence or materially relevant.

It wasn’t even that long ago our then prime minister was saying a significant donor had said racist stuff but refused to commit to calling that person a racist, as though there is some material moral difference between the two. Maybe there is, maybe in a philosophical sense, it is worse to call someone a n*gger and mean it in your soul than call someone a n*gger in a moment of misguided rage, but I am here to tell you the net result is the same and the motivation means little to the recipients.

I don’t know why those guys threw bottles out the window of their car at me and a mate in Eltham at the bus stop. I don’t know why that guy called me a n*gger outside that pub just for asking for a lighter. I don’t know why that guy asked me during the Netherlands game in the f***ing pisser whether I was actually English (still not the most awkward conversation I’ve had at a urinal). I don’t know what their world views were, whether they were committed ethnonationalists or utopian socialists. I don’t know and it didn’t matter, the net result is the same.

So, dragggggging this back to that video on that bus – by all means pontificate about the motivations and track records and good upstanding reputations about the offenders all you like. If it makes you feel better about the footballers or celebrities you like that they can utter such things independent of a virtuous core you believe to be there then have at it, we all make sense of this world as we see fit.

But please try to remember, the people who are actually on the receiving end of behaviour and language like that don’t have that luxury.
Simon CFC

READ: Enzo Fernandez and Wesley Fofana bring out football’s inhibited racists

Enzo is symptomatic of a larger problem
So Enzo Fernandez, in a moment of triumph, along with many of his Argentinian team mates, felt he couldn’t let the moment pass without chanting a racist and offensive song.

In that moment of euphoria, he chose to be hateful as well. I think that reflects on the man he is. A sad little man who believes incredibly stupid things. As his agents scrabbled to pump out an insincere apology note written in comic sans for fear of him losing sponsorships, people saw him for what he is. A little bigot. And before people try to make excuses for him, stop. Ask yourself, why are you defending a bigot? He showed us who he was. This isn’t heresay, he chose to broadcast it.

So ask yourself, why are you defending those hateful words said by that player? Is it because you agree? Because if that is the case, you’re crappy human too. And this is the level of tolerance our governing bodies should have had. Next time a player is racist, ban him for a season. Next time a club’s fans are racist, ban them for a season. Let me tell you, 100%, if there were serious repercussions for racist acts, like, you know, banning them, fans, clubs and players WOULDN’T be racist.

Fines are useless, closed matches are useless. They don’t change behaviour. The FAs don’t care, they are all well funded, mainly by the governing body. So the only impactful punishment is not allow them to play.

They would police racism then, they would make an effort then to educate players then. But until then, ethnic minorities who bring so much joy to so many fans will just have to accept that the system in place enables this bigotry, not stymies it.

You might be thinking, why punish everyone for the minority behaviour, and that is because that is the only way people learn. Collective punishment. The people who sit silently by while racism or misogyny take place, saying to themselves, ‘how foul’ and then remaining silent are no better than those who say the stuff in the first place. A lot of you will be feeling uncomfortable now. Probably thinking ‘how dare he say that, I would never be racist.’ And to that I say, ‘good, I’m glad you feel uncomfortable.

Let me tell you something else, your inaction enables it. We’ve had almost a decade of pure vitriol and nationalism shoved down our throats, is it any wonder these stupid people with stupid opinions are now emboldened?

This isn’t me being ‘Argentina is racist’. Every country is racist. England, France, India, every nation. Every nation has their prejudices, the idea that one nation is more racist than another is fatuous. We still have the mentality of hunter gatherer tribes where anyone not from the troop is other and bad. This is retrograde thinking.

Until the Governing bodies ban a nation for it, they will continue to encourage it. Enzo will go on an apology tour, do some minor philanthropy, talk about how he has learned from the experience and then be feted by doing THE BARE MINIMUM which is to see other people as human beings worthy of respect.
John Matrix AFC

This fella sounds nice
I bet F365 can’t believe their luck. A race row straight after the Euros! What an opportunity to show their right-on credentials once again. Milk it for all you can, you never know when the next one will arrive.
G Thomas, Breda

On England manager options
Oooh Yessssss!!!!
1. Eddie Howe – this is just soooo right. Great tactician, great coach, great man manager, incredible gift of getting players to play above their level, superb team building in the dressing room and more importantly on the pitch. Absolute shoo-in.

2. Tuchel – we need a manager to beat superior teams in knockouts. He took PSG and Chelsea to CL finals and won it once, took a weak Bayern team to a semi and won the Pokal with Dortmund. Great tactician with a terrible personality who is one of the few people on earth who could potentially win us a trophy.

3. Carsley – the demented idea that Southgate was great cos he came through the system and Carsley would be just as good is potentially quite a good idea but there’s no actual evidence it would work.

Big No Nos:
Klopp: Imagine a 32 year old Harry Kane gegenpressing at the World Cup after playing 80 games for Bayern. The entire team would have a heart attack at a Klopp managed tournament and we’d concede 2 goals a game via the huge space left behind Trent Alexander Arnold. Klopp is also a big final choker losing 5 out of 6 European finals with Liverpool and Dortmund

Potter: Falling into the ‘He’s English isn’t he?’ category. Like the appointments of Taylor, McLaren, Hodgson and Allardyce: You can’t give people the England job just cos theyre English!!!!! Potter has done absolutely nothing ever to suggest he could take the England national team to a final. Zero Nil Nada.

Pochettino: Hahaha, still failing upwards Mazza?!?!?!?!? LoL Found his level at Spurs and never should’ve left.

Lampard: Ok this is getting silly now…
Ben Teacher

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Why not Wiegman?
Genuine question – aside from she’s a woman what is the argument against her?

She has the exact same coaching badges as any male manager. She has a track record of not only winning at national level but winning at national level with England.

There’s honestly no valid argument against it that isn’t sexist.

“Men’s game is different” playing it might be but coaching it isn’t. You telling me there’s male and female tactics?

Its a boon for the women’s game to have a successful coach step over to the men’s side and in the event she is successful it opens the door for more female coaches because again – there is no argument against female managers that isn’t based in sexism.

If the argument is something something assertiveness and aggression, dominance blah blah … Go watch Wiegman then come back and say she doesn’t have those qualities already. Also isn’t one of the main complaints from people who have a female boss that they’re overbearing and domineering?

To be clear I don’t believe in that stereotype but the people who do are the same people who would also argue those qualities are necessary for a manager.

However I’m not closed minded, so make an argument against it I’m genuinely interested to see a non sexist argument against it.
Lee

Liverpool fan says England should build around Liverpool
There has been a lot of opinion on the main cause of England’s failure to once again win a tournament. The lack of control and ability to retain possession being a major one. Someone said we were outplayed by Spain’s 4, who was the 4th, Jamal or Williams? It’s very difficult to retain possession with such a defensive attitude as the midfield players are not on the half turn and or forward enough to “break the lines” and even when they are, there is no one ahead of them to play the ball to.

When there is, these players can be devasting, e.g. Palmer receiving and playing a quick 20 yard ball forward resulting in the goal. This then boils down to the negative tactics of the ex-manager, 10 or 15 sideways and backwards passing resulting in the goalkeeper launching the ball at least 20 yards, often more. ahead of our furthest forward player WAS a tactic, see every time we kicked off!

Going forward most people are advocating (me included) the end of certain players international career. All of those mentioned are 30+ but Argentina have just won the Copa America with 4 players in this bracket. OK one is in the greatest of all time conversation, but Di Maria at 36! So, if you’re good enough, you’re never too old. The problem is, ours aren’t good enough. Most of the armchair managers (me included) would have selected nearly the same squad, picked nearly the same team but not employed the same tactics. So what happens in 2 years?

As the Euro’s are now over and we can leave our in/out camps, we can get back to our natural position of slagging each other’s players and managers and laughing at setbacks or ridiculing opinions. so in the interest of everyone, let me kick it off.

What you need is a squad where when a player is changed there is no drop-off in quality or need to change tactics (unless the game dictates) as seen in Spain replacing Gavi with Olmo who looked a stand out performer (talk about a lucky manager! not).

As such England’s saviour is one Arne Slot! Hopefully Reece James can overcome his injuries and become first choice on the right of a back three. Stones /Guehi are obvious choices but both can be pushed by Branthwaite and Quansah (part of the winning U 21’s before anybody pipes up) who I expect to get more game time under Slot. But then who plays in the 5 and gives us the midfield control that we so crave.

Saka plays in a possession based team so no problem there, whilst I am a fan of Rice, he isn’t the best option as the middle piece of the 5, Mainoo (hate to say it) looks more than capable of this role and I haven’t seen enough of Wharton to form an opinion, so maybe it’s him. The Man City Foden would be first choice on the left of the three central players which leaves two spots to fill.

This is where Arne comes to the rescue! Connor Bradley will play right back for LFC and Trent will move into midfield, he is a wonderfully talented footballer and is able to control the tempo of a game, he doesn’t look to play the Hollywood ball at all times but can when it is the right choice, he is excellent at recycling and retaining the ball and under Arne will become more and more accustomed to this role.

The pace and work rate of Gordon makes him an ideal choice but there is another player whose biggest asset is his ability to keep possession, move the ball forward and has been a major part of England’s success at a lower level, another player who I expect to play a bigger part at LFC, Curtis Jones. he may not have lightening pace but can go both ways and does have a goal in him.

We all seem to agree that there is no need for a “big man” up front, especially one who is immobile! Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham could form a very fluent and inter changeable front two and be a nightmare for defenders, especially those who relish the physical challenge of “the big man”.

And again, there is another player who has all the attributes of Palmer and if given the same opportunities as him could very well have posted similar numbers, another who is no stranger to international tournament’s and had a big influence in them, Harvey Elliott, Jurgen Klopp said he should have featured more and Arne will give him the opportunity to shine.

So there it is, England’s future is in the hands of Arne Slot!
Howard (who will step forward from your club!) Jones

A simple message from Joan
Kane should step down and stop being so selfish, he’s too old to play that position, Kane playing isn’t good for England that’s why we lost the Euros.
Joan Bishop

A simple message from John
The problem comes from playing out from the back. Why make 6 passes to get the ball up the field when the goalkeeper can get it up the field in one kick? They pass back more than passing forward. Today’s football is boring to watch.
John Adams