Former Premier League striker claims Raheem Sterling is making himself a target for racial abuse

Jack O'Toole

“I do believe players make themselves a target.”

Former Stoke and Reading striker Dave Kitson has said that Raheem Sterling has made himself a target for racial abuse.

Sterling was filmed being abused by a section of fans during Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday with the England winger taking to Instagram to voice his frustrations at racial abuse and also how racism in football is being covered by the British media.

https://twitter.com/TheManUtdWay/status/1071790111325675520

Sterling wrote:

“Good morning I just want to say, I am not normally the person to talk a lot but when I think I need my point heard I will speak up.

“Regarding what was said at the Chelsea game, as you can see by my reaction I just had to laugh because I don’t expect no better.

“For example you have two young players starting out their careers, both play for the same team, both [did] the right thing which is buy[ing] a new house for their mothers who have put in a lot of time and love into helping them get where they are.

“But look how the newspapers get their message across for the young black player and then for the young white player,” Sterling added, comparing Mail articles about Tosin Adarabioyo and Phil Foden.

“I think this is unacceptable. Both innocent have not done a thing wrong but just by the way it has been worded this young black kid is looked at in a bad light, which helps fuel racism and aggressive behaviour.

“So for all the newspapers that don’t understand why people are racist in this day and age, all I have to say is have a second thought about fair publicity and give all players an equal chance.”

View this post on Instagram

Good morning I just want to say , I am not normally the person to talk a lot but when I think I need my point to heard I will speak up. Regarding what was said at the Chelsea game as you can see by my reaction I just had to laugh because I don’t expect no better. For example you have two young players starting out there careers both play for the same team, both have done the right thing. Which is buy a new house for there mothers who have put in a lot of time and love into helping them get where they are, but look how the news papers get there message across for the young black player and then for the young white payer. I think this in unacceptable both innocent have not done a thing wrong but just by the way it has been worded. This young black kid is looked at in a bad light. Which helps fuel racism an aggressive behaviour, so for all the news papers that don’t understand why people are racist in this day and age all i have to say is have a second thought about fair publicity an give all players an equal chance.

A post shared by Raheem Sterling x ? (@sterling7) on Dec 9, 2018 at 1:54am PST

Kitson, a columnist for The Sun, said on talkSPORT radio that players can make a target of themselves by posting images of their lifestyle across social media.

📱 "We have a duty of care to ourselves as footballers, to be careful with social media"

🗣️ "I do believe players make themselves a target"

Dave Kitson has his say on the Raheem Sterling incident pic.twitter.com/vFjKywFWDb

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) December 9, 2018

Kitson said: “You cannot condone this racism in any way shape or form, I think it’s disgusting.

“I do believe that players make themselves a target. Why Raheem Sterling? There are other black players on the pitch, every single week.

“I just think that we have a duty of care to ourselves as footballers, to be a little bit careful with social media, and the way we portray ourselves.

“Jealousy is an awful thing amongst the human race. I trawled through Raheem Sterling’s Instagram feed this morning to find that a lot of what he put on in his early days has now been deleted, and it was, ‘look at my cars, look at my house, look at this bathroom, look at this, look at that, look at me.’ And that’s going to antagonise people.

“Now that is no excuse whatsoever for racially abusing somebody, but you sow a seed amongst people who are not racist, not to like that particular person, because they don’t want to see that in their faces every day.

“Now, when you go onto Raheem Sterling’s Instagram it’s ‘here’s a goal I scored last week, here’s me in a kids hospital.’ So someone’s got hold of him and said, ‘look, you can’t do that anymore. But that seed has already been planted in people’s heads.”

Kitson was quickly rounded on social media with many users condemning his comments while former Fulham striker Leroy Rosenior called into talkSport to take Kitson to task for his comments.

Hate the idea that you can “provoke” racism…Mark Saggers & Dave Kitson were basically justifying the abuse Sterling gets based on his social media activity on yesterday…then all panicked & backtracked the moment Leroy Rosenior phoned them up & called them all out on it. https://t.co/ls9Ml292at

— ⚒ Jamie Bennett ⚒ (@jamiebennett92) December 10, 2018

https://twitter.com/ChrisBrowne_/status/1071764465287393280

Dave Kitson even mentioning Raheem Sterling’s management and social media activity on @talkSPORT was uncomfortable listening, well done Leroy Rosenior.

— Slow Sky (@Slow_Sky_Beats) December 9, 2018

Dave Kitson is an absolute moron and shouldn’t be allowed on air ever again. https://t.co/1R1uIWrgRl

— Endee Football (@EndeeFootball) December 10, 2018