WILFRIED ZAHA HAS reiterated his belief that taking the knee before matches is “degrading” and insists that on the subject of racism: “Unless action is going to happen, don’t speak to me about it.”
Since project restart last summer, players, officials and staff at Premier League and EFL games have been taking the knee prior to kick-off to show support for the movement for racial equality.
Premier League clubs’ shirts also carried the Black Lives Matter slogan during the restarted 2019-20 season before being changed for this season to feature a patch promoting the league’s own anti-discrimination campaign No Room For Racism.
However, racist abuse of footballers on social media has been prevalent in recent weeks and several teams, including Brentford last weekend, have stopped taking the knee before games – something Crystal Palace forward Zaha believes has become an empty gesture.
“Obviously I’ve said before that I feel like taking the knee is degrading and stuff because growing up my parents just let me know that I should be proud to be black no matter what and I feel like we should just stand tall,” Zaha said, speaking at Thursday’s Financial Times’ Business of Football summit.
“Because I feel like taking the knee now, it’s becoming…we do it before games and even sometimes people forget that we have to do it before games.
“Trying to get the meaning behind it, it’s becoming something that we just do now and that’s not enough for me. I’m not going to take the knee, I’m not going to wear Black Lives Matter on the back of my shirt because it feels like it’s a target.
“We’re isolating ourselves, we’re trying to say that we’re equal but we’re isolating ourselves with these things that aren’t even working anyway, so that’s my stand on it. I feel like we should stand tall and now I don’t really tend to speak on racism and stuff like that because I’m not here just to tick boxes.”
He added: “Unless action is going to happen, don’t speak to me about it.”
While Zaha has not been as vocal on certain issues as other top-flight footballers such as Marcus Rashford, he believes he has a role to play to try and make a change.
He said: “I’m not really an activist but if I’ve got a platform to try and make a change, why not?
“No matter how small my platform is compared to other people, I don’t see why I would not say anything on something that means a lot to me and means a lot to other people so it’s a thing where I feel like I have a duty to do what I can really.
“Marcus Rashford, he’s got his platform there and he’s pushed through to make things happen and some people just tell him to stick to football and stuff, but how can you say that if he’s probably feeding your child?
“So obviously certain footballers will just play football and go home, but I feel like with the opportunity you have to broaden your horizon and do more, you only live once, why not? Then, if you can inspire people at the same time you’re doing it – it’s a win-win.”
Robbie Keane has nothing to prove.
Has been a flat track bully over the last half-a-dozen years.
We won’t be playing Faroe Islands in June.
Add Darron Gibson to that list….. Can’t even make the Everton bench now others are back from injury. (Unlike many others who seem to think he got better while injured), dont think he’s good enough to start for us, but would like to see him back playing regular club football.
If – and it’s a big if – Gibson can secure first team football between now and June he deserves to go. He’s a proven commodity at this level unlike Arter.
Everton were in fantastic form when he got a run of games.
Yeah to be honest (and I don’t like saying this because I had high hopes) I’m not sure he is proven at international level – not sure he was ever massively convincing for us. We always had that hope that ‘once he got a run of games’ he’d be better for us, but when they did come (I) it was down to others being injured and (2) he got injured playing for us before he could show anything. It’s a real pity. Arter has been playing first team football, when fit, for two seasons now and has impressed in a way I’m not sure Gibson ever did. I’d take him if it’s between the two.
Rob Elliot has to start in goal, Newcastle No.1 playing week in week out and playing really well, pulled off some top saves against Arsenal at the weekend. No brainier for me.
Couple of those saves were because of strange decisions to punch rather than catch though – ended up leading to further chances (that he admittedly saved). Give him a chance, but Randolph inspires more confidence for me.
Arter and judge are far better options than mcgeady.
I want to know what Keiran Westwood has to do to be considered, the best goalkeeper in the championship last year and consistently starting games every week
He fell out with MON at Sunderland.
What else does Robbie Keane have to do?
Score against teams that aren’t bottom seeds and contribute in overall play like Murphy, Long and Walters do?
I wouldn’t worry about anything Ronny Delia says about McGeady.. Delia is one bad result away from the sack.. O’Neill and Dermot Desmond are good mates, guaranteed McGeady will be a Celtic player come the end of January..
Are related to MON or DD which used be known as Double Diamond years ago ? ?.Some of the comments on articles are so amusing
Sorry Nick could you write that in English please?
The problem is that Deila isn’t one game away from the sack! Celtic are still persisting with him even though the team gets worse every week.
Anyway, to McGeady. The most naturally gifted player we have in the squad but his confidence is shot to feck. McGeady is too inconsistent, he’ll pop up with a piece of brilliance then will be complete muck for the next 5 games.
McGeadys big problem is that he is not a winger but ever since MON brought him through at Celtic that’s where he has played. McGeady was a number 10 through his entire youth. Unfortunately MON didn’t really understand how to use a creative midfielder at Celtic so he was shunted to the wing and has pretty much been there ever since. He doesn’t have the attributes to be a winger other than being able to dribble. Can’t cross and isn’t particularly quick.
McGeady has the same issues he had a 18, glimpses of class but with no end product. I’d love O’Neill to give him a run in midfield but O’Neill has the same issue he had at Celtic he doesn’t know how to effectively use a creative midfielder.
Point taken ! As I belong to a category of the population that is now officially known as “Seniors” I tend to get my fingers crossed, not my wires dare I say, from time on the “ould” smartphone. I also might have been intertupted by one of the grand kids wishing to engage in a blast of Trivial Pursuits.I suppose one could say thats what Im doing right now as I have a little free time on my hands !! What triggered my original post I cannot really recall right now – It obviously didnt engage my brain very well ! Again apologies for the misuse and the abuse of the “ould” English. Its very remiss of me particularly since I used it, albeit in a more cliched format,very extensively in a previous life. I better quit now a I am an avuncular kind of individual prone to a little causticism ! To quote the old Hill Street Blues (before your time I reckon) Bí Curamach out there Níoclás PS; At the risk of being a name dropper I did meet the main man from Kilrea on a few occasions
Keane should not be selected. Huge fan of his, but his time is over.
I am not sure Randolph or Keane have anything to prove. They will make the squad unless injured. The other lads are probably more at risk or have less chance of a call up anyway.
Darren Randolph has nothing to prove. Less of the hate
Darren Randolph has nothing to prove. Stop hating on him