Gareth Southgate criticised for Qatar worker comments

He's definitely put his foot in his mouth with that.

I imagine he's being genuine when he says that the migrant workers he spoke to said that, but it's just a completely tone deaf comment from him and I'm sure the dead would have a different opinion.
 
My sister has recently gone out to Qatar to work for FIFA, she has told me how shocked she has been to see the treatment of the migrant workers. She said whole hotels full of migrant workers have been emptied with the workers only given 2 hours notice. She said the workers are all sleeping on the street because they have nowhere to go. She also said the racism and homophobia is shocking, she happens to be gay herself so she has been keeping that to herself.
 
Glover_elbow said:
I appreciate hes in a difficult position as England manager to talk about human rights in qatar but this is hugely disappointing it's sounds like endorsement he's doesn't need to say.

Gareth Southgate criticised for Qatar worker comments
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I was really surprised, he normally chooses his words carefully. He's either incredibly naive (which I don't believe) or he's trying to make himself feel better about the situation
 
Glover_elbow said:
I appreciate hes in a difficult position as England manager to talk about human rights in qatar but this is hugely disappointing it's sounds like endorsement he's doesn't need to say.

Gareth Southgate criticised for Qatar worker comments
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I don't think he's in a difficult position at all. Him and the players should speak their minds - if we get thrown out so be it. We shouldn't have gone IMHO.

He says:

"But we also need to be realistic about how much we're going to affect in a country that we don't control."

We might affect change Gareth if you spoke out or if no one sent teams. But we are whores to the game.
 
wilkos_perm said:
I was really surprised, he normally chooses his words carefully. He's either incredibly naive (which I don't believe) or he's trying to make himself feel better about the situation
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Yes, I was 100% expecting him to be speaking out about treatment of the migrant workers. Slaves is a truer term. He's certainly opened the door on himself for deeper questioning now.
 
On the one hand it is obviously a travesty that the World Cup is being held in a country where hundreds of people die to host it. But then again, that happens every time you host a tournament in a developing country or a country with poor human rights legislation. The South Africa and Brazil World Cups had similar concerns (although I don’t think the death toll was as high), plus the Beijing/Rio Olympics.

On the other, if you boycott it now, it means those people all died for nothing (if the tournament doesn’t actually go ahead).

It’s an awful conundrum. I suppose the way I’ve rationalised it is that those migrant workers would have probably been sent to their deaths on some other vanity project if the World Cup hadn’t happened. Sad, but very possible true. I just hope FIFA never allows this to happen again.

This is the last World Cup which will be hosted by a single country anyway, after this it will be whole continents from 2026 onwards, and with the 48 team expansion.
 
He got it badly wrong.
Normally a sensible fella totally falling for the Qatari propaganda.

Either deliberate or stupid. Neither are a good look.
 
dan_ashcroft said:
Yes, I was 100% expecting him to be speaking out about treatment of the migrant workers. Slaves is a truer term. He's certainly opened the door on himself for deeper questioning now.
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I'm guessing the Qatari government ensured that the migrant workers he was able to speak to were the "right sort".

I don't think it's helped by the fact that he's always been reluctant to criticise other countries too much for their issues, lest he open himself up to "what about England's issues?".
 
atypical_boro said:
On the one hand it is obviously a travesty that the World Cup is being held in a country where hundreds of people die to host it. But then again, that happens every time you host a tournament in a developing country or a country with poor human rights legislation. The South Africa and Brazil World Cups had similar concerns (although I don’t think the death toll was as high), plus the Beijing/Rio Olympics.

On the other, if you boycott it now, it means those people all died for nothing (if the tournament doesn’t actually go ahead).

It’s an awful conundrum. I suppose the way I’ve rationalised it is that those migrant workers would have probably been sent to their deaths on some other vanity project if the World Cup hadn’t happened. Sad, but very possible true. I just hope FIFA never allows this to happen again.

This is the last World Cup which will be hosted by a single country anyway, after this it will be whole continents from 2026 onwards, and with the 48 team expansion.
Click to expand...

I get where you are coming from. I’d ask you to look again at your comment about them ‘dying for nothing’ if it goes ahead.
It’s a bit insensitive.

They died in dreadful conditions as slaves. Their families will have a view on whether the WC going ahead justifies their death.
 
Really surprised at those comments, though we all know Gareth's judgement is occasionally suspect, after all he thought Matty Bates could play holding midfield!

I would usually be quite excited at a World Cup coming up, but am completely ambivalent towards this one at the moment. I suppose I might get into it once it starts. This is quite sad, as at my age I've probably only got another three or four to enjoy :cool:
 
This is worth a read.
Two points of note
1. They are accusing us of being racist because their human rights record is being put under the spotlight.
2. They are paying for 50 Dutch fans to go to the World Cup on the condition they report positively on all things Qatari

What a world eh

www.theguardian.com

Qatar calling its critics racist opens a debate that may be worth having | Barney Ronay

Increasingly prevalent line may sound dubious, but talking it through sensitively could have unexpected benefits
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Really disappointed in him to be honest. Expected much better and he's gone down in my estimation.

Appreciate he's in a difficult position and given his role is maybe not free to speak his mind.

But in that case a better thing to have done would have been to just say nothing.
 
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