FA told Graham Taylor not to pick too many black players for England
http://gu.com/p/486p4
No sheidt Sherlock and Bobby Robson was probably told the same. Why else would Barnes not start against Argentina in Mexico? In the 20 mins he was on he nearly ripped Argentina a new one.
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06-05-2015 07:24 PM #1
FA told Graham Taylor not to pick too many black players for England
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06-05-2015 07:39 PM #3
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Taylor claims this is nonsense.
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06-05-2015 07:45 PM #4This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Taylor has been made aware of the book and told the Guardian he could not specifically remember the conversation with Moran. “That is not me trying to evade it – and it also doesn’t mean I didn’t say it – but if anyone looks at my record with club and country it would be obvious to everyone anyway that I didn’t follow what was apparently said. If anyone looks at my record, I could never be accused of blocking the way for any black player.”
That's not a very convincing denial.
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06-05-2015 07:48 PM #5
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Taylor told BBC Radio 5 live: "I have no memory of that conversation."
He added: "I never had any problem in regards to team selection concerning black players from the FA.
"My record as regards the selection of black players at international and at club level is there for people to see. To have my name linked with that kind of thing is completely wrong."
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06-05-2015 08:56 PM #7
If someone accused me of that I would go ****ing mental. I'd make sure everyone knew it was lies. He doesn't really do that does he...
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06-05-2015 09:03 PM #8
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06-05-2015 09:32 PM #9This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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06-05-2015 09:44 PM #10
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06-05-2015 09:49 PM #11This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
If this didn't happen he could easily be clear and state that he was never given any such instructions by the FA. Instead he avoids that and refers people to his record on selecting black players.
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06-05-2015 09:53 PM #12This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteThis quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
For me he has avoided the question on whether he had any instructions from the FA to do otherwise, though.
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06-05-2015 09:56 PM #13This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteThis quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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06-05-2015 10:23 PM #14This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
United we stand here....
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06-05-2015 11:03 PM #15This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
He must have known this would become public one day, if he's told the story on several occasions.
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07-05-2015 12:21 AM #16This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
United we stand here....
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07-05-2015 09:18 AM #17This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Having read the story I don't think that's the case, but it does seem that he was told by the hierarchy not to have 'too many' black players.
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07-05-2015 09:29 AM #18
There is no way that a Manager would forget a conversation where they were told not to pick too many Black Players.
GT saying he 'can't remember' such a conversation is just evasion.
If this was untrue, he would have stated so very clearly.
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07-05-2015 09:44 AM #19
Quite clearly, he was told to keep a lid on the number of black players he selected.
Similarly, IMO, he quite clearly disregerded these "suggestions". What a bloody mess to have, within my lifetime, at the upper echelons of the FA, some unashamed racists trying to influence the England manager.
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07-05-2015 10:00 AM #20This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
GT was interviewed in it. He was quite clear that JB didn't play his best for England, hence wasn't always first pick.
JB had other thoughts, though
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07-05-2015 10:46 AM #21
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You have one person alleging that he had a conversation with Taylor where Taylor has told him that the FA asked him to do this.
Taylor is saying he has no recollection of that conversation or one with the FA. He has also said he had no selection issues with the FA and his record in who he has picked supports that.
I'm not sure anything is clear that any of those conversations took place.
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07-05-2015 11:40 AM #22This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
It's hardly likely that something like that would slip your mind, so if it didn't take place, he should just say so.
His evasive answer suggests that this actually did happen.
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07-05-2015 12:21 PM #23This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
If I was told not to employ 'too many' black people at my work I'm 100% sure I'd remember that conversation.PM Awards General Poster of The Year 2015, 2016, 2017. Probably robbed in other years
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07-05-2015 02:04 PM #24This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteThis quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
That's my reading of it. He can't remember a particular conversation; he answers the question by referring to his record on picking black players (which was outstanding for the time, btw); but he doesn't just come out and say that he was never told not to pick black players, or not to pick so many black players when selecting England teams.
I've no doubt that Graham Taylor didn't operate a racist selection policy when England manager. In fact, he was more than willing to pick his men on talent and ability without reference to the colour of their skins. As a club manager with teams like Watford and Villa he was more ready than most to give opportunities to black players like John Barnes and Luther Blissett.
But if 'The Guardian' is suggesting that a bunch of suits at Lancaster Gate sought to put pressure on him not to pick black players for England, then I wouldn't waste my breath suggesting it wasn't so.
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