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Former Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber recently sparked outrage with his comments on black football players, including Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling.
In an interview about a charity Everest climb, Webber mentioned five black players by name, suggesting their success in football was their only alternative to incarceration.
He told PinkUn (via Daily Mail):
"We want to help the guys who really need it, not the ones who are maybe privileged. I saw that with our young footballers."
He added:
"Jonny Rowe wouldn’t mind me saying it but him, Abu Kamara, Max (Aarons), Jamal (Lewis), Raheem (Sterling) back in the day at Liverpool, where they come from it had to work out for them in football, because the alternative is potentially jail or something else."
Webber's comments have been met with a huge backlash. Players and their families were left feeling "furious, shocked, and deeply offended" (via Daily Mail). One player even reached out to Webber for an explanation. Acknowledging his mistake, Webber apologized to some involved but had yet to speak with Raheem Sterling or his family directly.
Throughout his career, Webber has had executive positions at Norwich City, Huddersfield Town, Wolves, QPR, and Liverpool. His association with the aforementioned players stems from his Liverpool days.
Chelsea manager defends Raheem Sterling after penalty miss
Chelsea's thrilling 4-2 victory against Leicester City at Stamford Bridge guaranteed them a place in the FA Cup semifinals. Despite the win, Raheem Sterling was the topic of discussion due to his missed penalty, which drew anger from supporters.
Jakub Stolarczyk saved the penalty, which is just another example of Sterling's frequent penalty-related problems. The forward has not had a good record of penalties, missing more than he has scored in his career (via Eurosport).
In his defense of the Chelsea forward, Mauricio Pochettino told the press after the game (via Eurosport):
"The feelings weren't good for him but I am going to support him. He has an unbelievable CV. Playing for big teams, an experienced player. Today he missed a penalty and some chances but we are going to support."
The manager further added, telling the BBC (via Eurosport):
"We need to support him, he's an amazing player. He has more than 10 years experience in the Premier League. Of course I think the contribution was good. He was a little bit unlucky with some actions where he should have scored. But we are a team and we need to be there for everyone."
Raheem Sterling will be hoping he can get past his struggles from 12 yards and help Chelsea to win the FA Cup, against all odds.
