http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa2JYCNF2_g
ALAN HANSEN HAS swiftly apologised after coming under fire for using the word “coloured” in reference to black footballers last night.
The Match of the Day pundit’s ill-chosen words sparked outrage on Twitter, drawing an angry response from former Tottenham Hotspur and Shamrock Rovers star Rohan Ricketts among others.
“I think there’s a lot of coloured players in all the major teams and there are lots of coloured players who are probably the best in the Premier League,” Hansen said during a discussion on racism in football with Lee Dixon and Gary Lineker.
“If you look at 25 or 30 years ago it was probably in a bad way – not as bad as some of the other nations on the Continent – but certainly there is always, always room for improvement.”
Ricketts immediately took to Twitter to call Hansen out on the gaffe, accusing the Liverpool legend of being part of the problem.
“Is this Alan Hansen guy taking the f****** piss??” Ricketts tweeted. “I’m not coloured??? He is part of the problem when using that word. We are BLACK Alan! Wtf.”
Hansen offered his apologies for the mistake in a one-line statement this morning. ”I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused – this was never my intention and I deeply regret the use of the word.”
