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Eni Aluko, Mark Sampson and the FA
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Loooking at how an odious prick like Malky Mackay has been forgiven and booted upstairs, I wouldn't be surprised if Sampson is given a similar administrative role in the English FA after a decent period of faux ostracism. He was a success, can't just discard that knowledge, the pliant hacks argue. But he surely can't last in his current job till the end of the month.
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I dunno. Two unwise remarks. The ebola one was thoughtless and rude but I can see why someone might say it without thinking how it would affect someone - it's a flippant comment.
The police joke is worse but only if the person involved hasn't been in trouble with the police because then it looks like profiling. If she has been arrested 4 times then it was poor taste singling her out. But it's telling the paper won't name the player at the player's request.
There's a story here because the FA paid Aluko off. She was willing to take the money and held off going public til after the Euros.
There might be a racist culture at the FA and that might include Mark Sampson. I don't know. But I'm not convinced by what's been reported.
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Except she's not in the England squad any more according to the article. Not sure what she gains by keeping quiet. Unless she has been arrested and she'd rather it not be discussed in the papers, which is understandable. She might not appreciate Aluko dragging her into this.
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I have sympathies for her, of course, and believe much of her account: both comments are pretty stupid and offensive. But accepting a pay-off of any description weakens her position - if not her argument - significantly.
It seems undeniable that there remains this supposedly 'unwitting' culture within the FA, which frankly should've been wiped out years ago.
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It's not hard to figure out who the player is from the clues Aluko gives. To the point where one wonders why Aluko didn't simply tell the FA who it was meant to be.
Over the weekend this appeared on the BBC website. That is Aluko, Sanderson and Asante, all possessing 50+ caps, and all apparently discarded when aged 30 or younger since Sampson took charge. These three do share a common trait... To check whether there is confirmation bias one would have to sift through which other established players have seen their careers end by a means other than retirement in the same time. None are particularly springing to mind, I must say.
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- Oct 2011
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Yes, that curtailing of the international careers of experienced talented players for reasons not related to their playing performance was the thing that struck me most reading through the article. That and the idea of allegations not being investigated fairly.
The individual incidents/comments themselves might be telling, but they aren't the main story for my money. It's in the same vein as the culture of sexism within the British Cycling organisation. The important issue that needed addressing was the inadequate support given to female elite athletes and the general ways in which they have been treated and recognised. The thing that made the newspapers were Shane Sutton's alleged comments about pregnancy and bottoms - which was of course inexcusable and cost him his job - but the problems went much deeper than that.
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Rachel Yankey - left out of Sampson's first squad in 2013.
Originally posted by Patrick Thistle View PostExcept she's not in the England squad any more according to the article. Not sure what she gains by keeping quiet. Unless she has been arrested and she'd rather it not be discussed in the papers, which is understandable. She might not appreciate Aluko dragging her into this.
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Originally posted by Antepli Ejderha View PostShe got paid £80k as hush money but then some things have happened which means she's allowed to.
Aluko raised issues of racism in an internal culture review. She was then victimised, and sacked, and sued for unfair dismissal. She then settled out of court with the FA for £80k. The FA, when accused of paying hush money, said they gave it to Aluko so as "not to disrupt preparations for the Euros" and that Sampson had been fully cleared (with the unstated implication that Aluko was lying).
Quite right that she's now on the warpath.
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She goes into this in much more detail in the full interview - a much better read than the trailer posted above. I think whether Sampson is "a racist" is irrelevant. Stuff he's said clearly constitutes racist microaggressions though. But there's clearly a culture of abuse and victimisation in the England WNT, where players are isolated or frozen out for raising grievances.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...cult-situationLast edited by Bizarre Löw Triangle; 22-08-2017, 10:15.
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- Aug 2008
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Originally posted by Bizarre Löw Triangle View PostShe was never given hush money.
Aluko raised issues of racism in an internal culture review. She was then victimised, and sacked, and sued for unfair dismissal. She then settled out of court with the FA for £80k. The FA, when accused of paying hush money, said they gave it to Aluko so as "not to disrupt preparations for the Euros" and that Sampson had been fully cleared (with the unstated implication that Aluko was lying).
Quite right that she's now on the warpath.
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Originally posted by Antepli Ejderha View PostFrom what I've read BLT there was a clause in the agreement with the FA that meant she was not allowed to talk about what happened hence my use of the term hush money.
"One of the terms of the settlement agreement was: this is to be kept confidential but, if it goes public, you are allowed to speak about the facts of the case but you cannot say anything that would bring the FA into disrepute. The FA have left that bit out of their statements that I was free to talk. Again, I believe that is another half-truth. But I think that when people understand the situation, they are going to understand: ‘Well, of course, she’s not going to risk saying anything.’ What was I supposed to say – this situation with the FA was lovely? I wasn’t going to risk being sued for breach of contract for telling the truth. Fortunately, the position was clarified, legally, last Friday and I was told I can now give what I believe is the full story."
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Originally posted by longeared View PostRachel Yankey - left out of Sampson's first squad in 2013.
Asante mentioned here: https://www.theguardian.com/football...ficial-pitches
Aluko: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/n...quad-dw26bxg75
Sanderson was also being described as a 'regular pick' last February, when in fact she hasn't been selected since: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35547266
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Originally posted by Bizarre Löw Triangle View PostBut there's clearly a culture of abuse and victimisation in the England WNT, where players are isolated or frozen out for raising grievances.
I remember Jonathan Pearce commenting during the Euros that the atmosphere around the England squad was much more relaxed and positive than it had been under Hope Powell. Hmm. His antennae don't appear to be very good.
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- Mar 2008
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Originally posted by Janik View PostI remember Jonathan Pearce commenting during the Euros that the atmosphere around the England squad was much more relaxed and positive than it had been under Hope Powell. Hmm. His antennae don't appear to be very good
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I have sympathies for her, of course, and believe much of her account: both comments are pretty stupid and offensive. But accepting a pay-off of any description weakens her position - if not her argument - significantly.
Perhaps it is because I am a lawyer (as is Aluko), but to me agreeing to a substantial monetary settlement rather than going through the trouble and uncertainty of an employment tribunal is a perfectly rational thing to do that really shouldn't "weaken" the claimant's position. If anything, I would think that the FA's agreeing to such a settlement is a concession that she had a strong case for unfair dismissal.
It's hard not to view this in the context of the issues in British Cycling. There seems to be something fundamentally wrong with the culture.
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Originally posted by Duncan Gardner View PostHow would he know? He's a commentator, not a coach. I read that as a PR statement written into his script.
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- Mar 2008
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Originally posted by ursus arctos View PostJah, would you mind showing your workings here?
Perhaps it is because I am a lawyer (as is Aluko), but to me agreeing to a substantial monetary settlement rather than going through the trouble and uncertainty of an employment tribunal is a perfectly rational thing to do that really shouldn't "weaken" the claimant's position. If anything, I would think that the FA's agreeing to such a settlement is a concession that she had a strong case for unfair dismissal
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Originally posted by Janik View PostThey tend to stay at similar hotels, and do a fair amount of interviews with the squad. Access to Women's squads is supposed to be much easier than the Men's, as well. I can understand why he believed he had a good feel for what was going on, even as an outsider. Turns out he wasn't getting a full picture. Though, of course, those with a grievance were no longer in the squad.
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