Kevin Sheedy in racism storm

[Adelaide Swan]

Sheedy's immigration comments 'clumsy' - Football Australia 2013

FFA CEO David Gallop says Kevin Sheedy?s comments about Western Sydney Wanderers having links with the immigration department were a ?clumsy own goal?.

Sheedy sparked controversy on the weekend when he suggested the GWS Giants could not match the Wanderers? appeal in Western Sydney because his club lacked ?the recruiting officer called the immigration department recruiting fans?.

[Adelaide Swan]

Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian

GREATER Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy says he meant nothing untoward by comments he made on Sunday when he described Western Sydney Wanderers' A-League success as getting a leg-up from the "Immigration Department".

[Adelaide Swan]

Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian

GREATER Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy says he meant nothing untoward by comments he made on Sunday when he described Western Sydney Wanderers' A-League success as getting a leg-up from the "Immigration Department".

[Northern_Swan]

Sheedy's immigration comments 'clumsy' - Football Australia 2013

FFA CEO David Gallop says Kevin Sheedy?s comments about Western Sydney Wanderers having links with the immigration department were a ?clumsy own goal?.

Sheedy sparked controversy on the weekend when he suggested the GWS Giants could not match the Wanderers? appeal in Western Sydney because his club lacked ?the recruiting officer called the immigration department recruiting fans?.

A measured response from Gallop, who IMO is a very good Sports Administrator.

In reality, Sheedys comments were dumb, ill thought and an attempt to create a headline. I don't believe they were intentionally racist, though it is clear that a group of Association Football fans who are prone to play the victim are twisting it in that direction. Craig Foster is the first to play the moral outrage card when it suits. His disdain for AFL and Aussie Rules in general is clear. His objectivity is compromised. His relevance in football circles is questioned.

In Summary, Sheeds should engage brain before mouth. Foster should go back to what he does best. That is, being irrelevant.

[Adelaide Swan]

Foolish, but not racist - David Hall - Football Australia 2013

?We don't have the recruiting officer called the immigration department recruiting fans for the West Sydney Wanderers. We don't have that on our side."

Is that a racist statement? Is it anti-football? Or is it a poor choice of words that reveals Kevin Sheedy?s perception of why AFL is struggling in western Sydney?

Sheedy, the old soldier who should know better, somehow managed to kick off another round of hostilities in the battle lines between Australia?s sporting codes by shooting himself in the foot.

[ShockOfHair]

In an amazing coincidence, very few headlines this week about GWS getting flogged.

[billyboob]

I don't believe they were intentionally racist, though it is clear that a group of Association Football fans who are prone to play the victim are twisting it in that direction.

Very few people go out of their way to make intentionally racist comments. Sheedy's comment was racist and he got called out for it. No big deal, move right along. That doesn't mean he is a closet racist. It should be the norm to call people out for making shady comments, whether ill advised, intentional or otherwise. I don't need to read anything by Craig Foster to know this.

It's unfortunate that you chose to further stereotype the same group of people by implying that they're somehow unfairly manipulating the discussion.

[stellation]

In an amazing coincidence, very few headlines this week about GWS getting flogged.

Who'd have thunk it!

[Xie Shan]

Of course Sheedy wasn't intentionally being racist. But his comment raises a separate question: just how ARE the Giants going to win the hearts and minds of those in the region who don't come from AFL-supporting backgrounds, especially when they're playing a bunch of kids. They'll have to start pulling a crowd at some point. Next year will be crucial, the Suns are just starting to be more competitive in their third season.

[Northern_Swan]

It's unfortunate that you chose to further stereotype the same group of people by implying that they're somehow unfairly manipulating the discussion.

I'm not stereotyping football fans. I'm a fan of both codes.

[Big Al]

Kevin Sheedy in racism storm

I absolutely hate the Racist card being used whenever a minority doesn't like something. Genuine racism is abhorrent and has no place in our society but the definition of racism has gotten so diluted that you are labelled a racist just for just pointing something factual about a minority. Also don't ever disagree with the minority view otherwise you'll get the racist tag as well.

Sheedy has done more for multiculturalism in this country than the likes of Craig Foster. Sheedys comments were clumsy no question but what he was saying was fact. The Wanderers did have a ready made supporter base out west due to the cultural backgrounds of many of it's residents. It's not racist to point out that fact.

Also I'm pretty sure Sheedy has praised the Wanderers in the past for their work in harnessing the support from the west.

[Adelaide Swan]

Sheedy sticks by A-League comments : A League : The World Game on SBS

Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy says he meant nothing untoward by Sunday's comments in which he described Western Sydney Wanderers' A-League success as getting a leg-up from the 'immigration department'.