Roy Hodgson 'Feed the monkey'

[birchwoodgingerste]

Roy Hodgson was forced to issue an apology last night after becoming embroiled in a bizarre row over a joke he reportedly made about a space monkey and England winger Andros Townsend.


It is understood that Hodgson told the joke at half-time of England’s 2-0 win against Poland, with the intention of encouraging right-back Chris Smalling to play the ball more frequently to Townsend.


It has been reported that at least one player was shocked by the remark because he thought it could be perceived to carry racist connotations.


Hodgson, it is understood, has been mortified by that interpretation and regards it is a big misunderstanding. The England manager issued a statement last night to apologise for any offence that had been caused.


The bit about feeding the monkey is just bananas!

He also stressed that he had spoken personally with Townsend and that the Tottenham Hotspur winger understood the context of the remark.


“I would like to apologise if any offence has been caused by what I said at half-time,” Hodgson said. “There was absolutely no intention on my part to say anything inappropriate. I made this clear straight away to Andros in the dressing room.

“I also spoke to Andros again on Wednesday. He has assured me and the FA he did not take any offence, and understood the point I was ­making in the manner I intended.”

The supposed joke is one that was popular at American space agency Nasa.

“Nasa decided they’d finally send a man up in a capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions,” the joke goes.

“They fire the man and the monkey into space. The intercom crackles, 'Monkey, fire the retros’. A little later, 'Monkey, check the solid fuel supply’.

“Later still, 'Monkey, check the life support systems for the man’. The astronaut takes umbrage and radios Nasa, 'When do I get to do something?’

“Nasa replies, 'In 15 minutes – feed the monkey’.”

It is understood that Hodgson had used the joke to try to emphasise to the England team that Townsend, who scored in the 4-1 win against Montenegro on Friday, could be critical to the victory.

Townsend produced a man-of-the-match performance on his debut against Montenegro on Friday and was again excellent against Poland as England clinched their place in the World Cup finals. Hodgson had lavished praise on the impact of Townsend yesterday.

The Football Association did not respond last night to Hodgson’s half-time comments beyond being made aware of the manager’s statement.

Stan Collymore, the former England striker, went on Twitter last night to say that it would be ridiculous for anyone to take offence at what Hodgson said. “Someone leaked it and i bet 100 per cent confident that no player was offended, not one,” Collymore wrote.

“If they are, do explain why. Racism is hard enough to keep on the agenda as it is without making everyone think a legitimate space tale should be a cause for offence.”

Even so, news of the 'joke’ is threatening to overshadow Hodgson’s achievement.

 

[GazC]

I wonder who the player was?

*Points to the sky*

A bird????? A Plane?????



Sort of thing I would expect Ashley Cole to do
He was injured but could he have been in the changing rooms as a squad member?
















John Ruddy!!!

Think goal celebrations!!

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I just think that in his position he should have known better.
This isn't the local bin man we're talking about.
Disgraceful really.

Disgraceful why maybe Woy like most right minded people doesn't link black people to monkey's so in never entered his head his pep talk would be considered offensive in any way first time I heard this joke it was the woman in the spaceshuttle asking her role to which mission control replied feed the monkey nothing racist about it at all sexist perhaps, in the the near past when we had a manufacturing industry in this Country we use to jest with the welders that the monkeys at Belle Vue could do it but their fur kept catching fire, just sometimes monkeys can be mentioned without racism being involved.

I'm glad you saw fit to use a full stop at the end of that post.

Definitely a case of shutting the gate after the horse has bolted though.

 

[SkyBlueUSA]

The FA should say NO! to racism.

 

[SrilankanBlue]

Ridiculous shit stirring by the media as usual, anything that sells the papers and gets clicks

 

[BigJoe#1]

The joke, as far as I can remember, goes something like this.

NASA send a monkey and an astronaut into space.

Each is given a list of tasks to do.

MONKEY
Check booster separation.
Fire retro rockets a T+ 22.05 into the mission.
Check correct orbit is achieved and adjust if needed.
Perform scientific tests.
Relay telemetry data to mission control.
Prepare for re-entry.

ASTRONAUT
Feed the monkey.



If this is indeed the joke Hodgson told, I defy anyone to find anything remotely racist about it.

I don't think Roy actually told the joke, just made reference to the punch line by saying feed the monkey. All that said any person who took offence to it should have approached Hodgson privately and said so to his face.

No offence was intended and none was taken by the person who was being referred to (Townsend).

What kind of society are we living in?

Anyone that takes offence at this are the people that really need to be sat down and talked with, they need to understand the world does not rotate around racist sensitivities and nor should it.

 

[FantasyIreland]

The FA should say NO! to racism.

There's an idea......

 

[BigJoe#1]

Why the hell did Roy use a "monkey" joke involving a black player.

You just don't get it do you?

Never mind, one day you might!

 

[worsleyweb]

Not even about it - cant be bothered wasting my time. Complete nonsense.

The lad was not offended. Roy is not a racist - move on.

 

[Super David Silva 21]

The FA was plunged into a fresh race storm after their only black board member broke ranks to criticise chairman Greg Dyke for the lack of diversity in his new commission.

In a week when England’s World Cup qualification was overshadowed by the Roy Hodgson ‘monkey’ controversy, the head of the FA must now face huge questions about the processes he has employed the look into the future of the English game.

Heather Rabbatts, the first female director at the FA, has written to Dyke to express her concerns but has gone a stage further by also making that letter public.

Read more: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2466578/Greg-Dyke-comes-white-FA-commission-Heather-Rabbatts.html#ixzz2iCZyFr7d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... z2iCZyFr7d</a>
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


2 words love, and the last ones off.


Former England defender Sol Campbell has criticised the lack of diversity on the Football Association commission set up to find ways of improving the national team.

The eight people named so far on FA chairman Greg Dyke's panel are white.

"I wouldn't mind if they had some black players in there, black players who have actually done something for club and country," Campbell told BBC Sport.

"Football is a diverse game and that should be reflected in the committee."


2 words Sol and the firsts ones Fuck.