Tonev and racism in Scottish football

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I’m not about to give you a character reference for Aleksandar Tonev, he may be prone to racist outburst, for all I know.  Society, and therefore football, still has a racism problem, just read how coolly Luis Suarez played addressing an opponent as “negro”.  The game has to react firmly when presented with racist banners, which regularly appear in Eastern Europe.

On the balance of probabilities, would a born-and-bred Scottish international be judged to have made a racist remark during a game against an opponent he doesn’t share a common tongue with?

If Kenny Miller was similarly accused and claimed to be misquoted, how would you feel?  Scottish footballers just don’t have a history of this kind of remark; I’d be inclined to believe Miller.  So, I expect, would Scottish football.

Tonev comes from one of those Eastern European countries.  Scottish football acknowledged it had no evidence to act on but found him guilty.

Based in just as little evidence, could you please decide if Scottish football is guilty of racist generalisation in its handling of this matter?  I know you don’t have enough evidence to come to a proper decision, but that’s the point.

Maybe if Aleks was at Ibrox on Tuesday making flute band gestures to TV cameras at halftime, the like of which Scottish Government minster Roseanna Cunningham once insisted was unacceptable and illegal, we’d all realise he didn’t mean any harm.  Or was it just the Sign of the Cross, Ms Cunningham?

But Tonev’s not “one of us”, so who cares?

The auction for two debenture hospitality seats, which started our bid to build a fourth school kitchen in Malawi for Mary’s Meals ended a few minutes ago.  Thanks to everyone who bid, the winner paid £295, a fantastic gesture.  Thanks also to Celtic sponsor, Magners, for pulling things together for us and making it happen.

We have a couple of slightly less-illustrious premium seats for tomorrow in the Jock Stein stand from Magners, which you can win by answering the following question:

Which team do Celtic play tomorrow?

This competition is only open for an hour, closes at 2:0, so those who enter have an excellent chance.  Keep an eye on your inbox this afteroon.  If you’d like to donate £1 to the kitchen fund in tandem with your entry, you can do so here.

Terms and Conditions apply.

You can get copies of Caesar & the Assassin, Billy McNeill and Davie Hay’s accounts of managing Celtic from Jock Stein’s departure until the appointment of Liam Brady, signed by both Billy and Davie here.

It’s a great read, you’ll enjoy it.

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  1. Just looking for 1 more…What a team we are forming although its a bit top heavy on strikers and naff keeper.

     

     

    Alan McKnight

     

    John Hartson

     

    Paolo Di Canio

     

    Stuart Slater

     

    Marc Reiper

     

    Eyal Berkovic

     

    Jeremie Aliadiere

     

    Ian Wright

     

    John Cushley

     

    Freddie Ljunberg

     

    Frank McAvennie

  2. CultsBhoy

     

     

    You dismiss the possibility that Logan is an out and out liar.

     

     

    I don’t.

     

     

    Maybe he is a trouble making little hun, oh sorry is that racist, looking for his 5 minutes of infamy.

     

     

    Otherwise show me the evidence.

  3. dr ramesh and the love potion on

    Amido Baldé – bin

     

    Hólmbert Friðjónsson – dunno, depends if he scores a few for Brondby

     

    Teemu Pukki – bin

     

    Derk Boerrigter – bin

     

    Tom Rogić – dunno, has talent but has never got going due to injuries. Won’t have high wages so maybe worth the gamble

     

    Aleksandar Tonev – bin. no football brain

     

    Nir Bitton – maybe. lacks balls but there is a good player there somewhere

     

    Beram Kayal – keep. we need experience and he has that now

     

    Leigh Griffiths – keep. goal scorer who seems to be keeping his head down and trying to improve

     

    Eoghan O’Connell – keep. good young but raw talent

     

    Darnell Fisher – keep.

     

    Joe Chalmers – not really seen a lot but has never really impressed me the few times i’ve seen him

     

    Paul George – not seen a lot but heard the boy has talent.

     

    Liam Henderson – keep but still very raw

     

    Filip Twardzik – keep but only if played in midfield and never at left back

     

    Dylan McGeouch – bin

     

    Marcus Fraser – if he’s below O’Connell in the pecking order then maybe time to go though he has impressed when i’ve seen him play

     

    Jackson Irvine – unless he shows huge improvement at Ross County then bin

     

     

    Jo Inge Berget – bin

     

    Aleksandar Tonev – bin him twice

     

    Mubarak Wakaso – keep. he’s getting better with each game

  4. Tom McLaughlin

     

     

     

    13:28 on 31 October, 2014

     

     

     

    Tom Molach –

     

     

    The SFA hearing listened to evidence from the Aberdeen manager and captain as well as the referee, presumably to confirm that Logan did indeed bring the alleged racist remarks to their attention as soon as it happened.

     

    —————————————

     

    Tom – you seem to be getting shocked on a regular basis by the opinions on this matter. I don’t think anyone’s has said that Tonev should not be hammered if he has committed the offence- of course he should. What is being questioned is the evidence that supports that assertion. Until/unless the SFA explain their reasoning, it all appears to be one person’s word against another’s. Neither the Ref nor the Aberdeen manager heard anything directly – so they are simply repeating the accusation made by the player, who may well have misheard.

     

     

    I don’t see what’s so shocking about calling this out. What is more shocking is that it appears to set a precedent that allows a player to make unsubstantiated accusation and for that accusation to simply be accepted without explanation or rationale and the accused punished. SFA are acting as jusge, jury and executioner and in an opaque manner.

  5. Is it more likely Tonev given his cultural background outlined by Paul made a racist remark than Shay Logan fabricated an accusation against an opponent?

     

    I think the answer to this question has led to the 7 match ban. A brave decision but one that sends a message I agree with.

     

    For me – Id be happy if the player was returned to Villa.

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

    Two guys on a dessert island, one guy has one leg only, and the other guy has two legs, so it would be fair to say the averge guy on that island had one and a half legs? Is this where we are going here?

  6. So we have Craig Thomson, Stuart Stevenson and Frank Connor tomorrow refereeing.

     

     

    The great Frank Connor. Unbeaten in charge of the bhoys including skelping the original rangers 2 – 1.

     

     

    At 78 I hope he can keep up with the play.

  7. CultsBhoy

     

     

    14:02 on 31 October, 2014

     

     

    You’re wrong that there’s no evidence but your conclusion is probably correct.

  8. SoT

     

     

    I should have got Bellamy.

     

     

    I read his autobiography when I was on holiday this year.

     

     

    A few hours of my life I won’t get back.

  9. Philbhoy

     

     

    I have dismissed this on 2 fronts – I’ve watched him a lot and he isn’t a troublemaker. Secondly he was raging when he alleged it happened indicating a genuine resonse

     

     

    All im saying is in my opinion it is more probable it happened..

  10. Was talking to someone last night who said Dylan McGeouch had a great game for Hibs in the Edinburgh derby

  11. Philbhoy

     

     

    14:05 on 31 October, 2014

     

     

    CultsBhoy

     

     

    You dismiss the possibility that Logan is an out and out liar.

     

     

    I don’t.

     

     

    Maybe he is a trouble making little hun, oh sorry is that racist, looking for his 5 minutes of infamy.

     

     

     

    ####

     

     

    Jesus wept.

  12. CultsBhoy

     

     

     

    14:02 on 31 October, 2014

     

     

     

    I don’t quite agree with Paul’s analysis on the Tonev thing.

     

     

    Heres my take.

     

     

    I agree there was no evidence to convict when you are faced with a one wod against the other situation.

     

    So we are dealing with probabilities.

     

     

    Is it more likely Tonev given his cultural background outlined by Paul made a racist remark than Shay Logan fabricated an accusation against an opponent?

     

    I think the answer to this question has led to the 7 match ban. A brave decision but one that sends a message I agree with.

     

    For me – Id be happy if the player was returned to Villa.

     

    ————————————————————–

     

    “Is it more likely Tonev given his cultural background outlined by Paul made a racist remark than Shay Logan fabricated an accusation against an opponent?”

     

     

    If that’s how the SFA arrived at their decision then I’d say they are more guilty of racism than Tonev!

     

     

    ” For me – Id be happy if the player was returned to Villa.”

     

    Does that follow from your analysis or is it because you don;t fancy him to do much for us as a player?

  13. Awe Naw

     

    I learned German as a young fella working in a busy Oberstdorf kitchen and can assure you there are many many others

  14. “I’ve watched him a lot and he isn’t a troublemaker.”

     

     

    Cultsbhoy,

     

     

    I’ve seen tonev about 20 times including warm ups both up here and down south and I’ve never heard him being racist.

     

     

     

    My daft comment trumphs your daft comment.

  15. Oh and it’s not a brave decision, it’s a typical SFA decision when we are involved, my god the guys on the committee in the hun trial where outed in every SMSM outlet 20 minutes after the decision , short memory EH?

  16. Nat know

     

     

    I actually think Tonev could be good but Id return him because he’s a loan player and the whole debacle is more trouble than it’s worth. We don’t need the smoke even if there is no fire..

  17. CultsBhoy

     

     

     

    14:08 on 31 October, 2014

     

     

     

    Philbhoy

     

     

    I have dismissed this on 2 fronts – I’ve watched him a lot and he isn’t a troublemaker. Secondly he was raging when he alleged it happened indicating a genuine resonse

     

     

    All im saying is in my opinion it is more probable it happened..

     

    ———————————————

     

    So what you are saying is that if a player reacts to what he thinks he heard then that is enough to prove that someone is guitly of racist language? There’s no possibility that he misheard or misinterpreted what was said?

  18. i wonder how the reaction would have been if it was a young member of the GB who was accused in similar circumstances instead of a player

  19. CultsBhoy

     

    14:02 on

     

    31 October, 2014

     

     

     

    Your analysis is sound, and may well be correct, but exactly how will the Judicial Panel frame that as a reason when they issue it to Alex?

     

     

    “Your cultural background means we are tending to believe Shay ahead of you”.

  20. South Of Tunis on

    Philbhoy .

     

     

    You would need to pay me ( and I would want a lot more than the Living Wage ) to read Craig Bellamy s ” autobiography “.

     

     

    Current read ————–

     

     

    Different Every Time : The Authorised Biography of Robert Wyatt -Marcus ODair.

     

     

    Highly recommended !

  21. Philbhoy,

     

     

    I’ll tells thee where it leaves us….

     

     

    Unless someone produces a shed load of evidence that I haven’t seen then this is the type of case the not proven verdict was created for.

  22. Nat know

     

     

    There is every possibility of a misheard comment… However there is no evidence one way or the other so all we can deal with are probabilities and gut feeling having analysed the footage.

     

    Logan strikes me from watching him that he is a strIght forward character. I’ve got a fair bit to do with AFC through coaching etc. the consensus from folk I know within Pittodrie is thatLogan is a very straight forward person.

  23. Any word on Kris Commons fitness for tomorrow

     

     

    Gordon

     

    Lustig wiznaeme VVD Izzy

     

    Broonie Johansen Charlie

     

    Kris C

     

    Scepovic and Guidetti

     

     

    With Leigh, Callum and Tony stokes to freshen it up when required

  24. SFA……….. we believe Mr Logan.

     

    Reporter………. why?

     

    SFA………because

     

    Unless we get a report on why and how they came to the decision, then as far as I can see, that’s how it went.

  25. Does Tonev speak perfect English?

     

     

    I have clients who are Polish, Slovakian, Turkish, for example, and with respect I sometimes do not understand a word or two that they are saying from time to time.

     

     

    Just as they sometimes cannot understand my accent.

     

     

    Could Logan have misheard in the middle of a noisy football match?

     

     

    Of course he could!

     

     

    I believe Tonev.

     

     

    I don’t care how Logan reacted, or who he reported his complaint too, or in what order.

     

     

    Stand up for ALEKSANDER TONEV!!!!

  26. CultsBhoy

     

     

     

    14:20 on 31 October, 2014

     

     

     

    Nat know

     

     

    There is every possibility of a misheard comment… However there is no evidence one way or the other so all we can deal with are probabilities and gut feeling having analysed the footage.

     

    Logan strikes me from watching him that he is a strIght forward character. I’ve got a fair bit to do with AFC through coaching etc. the consensus from folk I know within Pittodrie is thatLogan is a very straight forward person.

     

    —————————————————–

     

    Sorry mate, but for me “gut feeling” is not substantial enough to level that accusation which damages both Celtic and the player. If there is not enough solid evidence then the judgement is not proven. I’m sure the boy Logan is a lovely fella – that doesn;t mean he can;t be mistaken about what he though was said.

  27. Tamrabam @1417

     

     

    I couldn’t give a rats cheeny baws if it was the Pope, the Queen or sleekit ally himself, without more evidence it’s a complete nonsense.

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