Carlton Cole apologises for ‘grim’ comments he made live on BBC Radio 5 Live when talking about West Ham’s trip to Manchester City.
The former England striker is sorry for remarks he made comparing a possible heavy West Ham defeat at Manchester City to the Holocaust.
Cole made the analogy on BBC Radio 5 Live during the build-up to Sunday’s Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium.
After being questioned if West Ham manager David Moyes had selected a defensive side against the champions, Cole replied: “You can say he has gone a bit negative. Why not?
“You’ve got to give Man City some respect otherwise you’re going to get picked off.
“Otherwise it will be a Holocaust and you don’t want that.”
The Holocaust was carried out by the Nazis during the Second World War and claimed the lives of around six million Jewish people.
Cole’s comments was made on the first day of Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish festival which commemorates the recovery of Jerusalem, so only went and caused extra uproar on social media.
The ex-West Ham and Chelsea forward later apologised for his remarks on the same show.
He said: “I’d just like to apologise to the listeners for a totally unacceptable phrase that I used earlier in the show.
“I’m sorry if I’ve offended anybody, really and truly. Sorry.”
The BBC apologised soon after the comments and, amidst a backlash on social media, Cole also apologised on air for his choice of words.
Last month, Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton apologised after comparing a poor performance from his League Two side to the Holocaust.
It came after his side were beaten 3-1 by Newport County a few months back, leaving the Pirates sitting 18th in the League Two table, with 15 points from 14 games played.
He said: “I said to the lads during the week, the team’s almost like musical chairs.
“Someone gets in and does well but then gets suspended or injured. Someone gets in for a game, does well but then has a holocaust, a nightmare, an absolute disaster.”
Rather than release a carefully-worded personal statement, Barton instead took to his Twitter account to quote a passage from Persian poet Rumi. The lines are from ‘A Great Wagon’, which explores concepts of non-judgement.
Barton tweeted a picture with the lines: “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
“When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.”
Jalal ad-Din Mohammad Rumi was a 13th century poet, musician and spiritual guide, who has had a considerable cultural impact throughout the Muslim world, in particular Turkey and Iran, but is also considered the best selling poet in the United States.
As well as Barton attracting plenty of criticism for the episode, many have also brought into question Rovers’ responsibilities.
The club didn’t publicly acknowledged or mentioned the comments on their website or social media channels, though have since re-edited a clip to remove the remark.
Since then, Barton was criticised by several anti-Semitism campaigners after using the analogy in his post-match interview.
The Football Association also contacted Barton in relation to the comment.
“Clearly no offence was meant, but some people have rightly pointed out to me the use of the analogy was not correct,” he told BBC Radio Bristol.
The 39-year-old former England and Manchester City midfielder added: “The FA wrote to me this week to remind us of our language and communications, and the last thing you want to do is cause offence or upset anybody.
“So if anybody was offended by that, I would like to apologise for that. I think the FA were right to write to me and remind me of that.
“You hope to use better analogies in future, but it was certainly with no malice or offence intended to anybody.”
It is the first time either Bristol Rovers or Barton have addressed the comments since they came to light on social media.
“It’s our duty to be word perfect and not create controversy,” he added.
“I get that everything we say, even this I’m saying now will no doubt be pieced together in such a way that it will be there to grab and capture the attention of people that use social media, the internet.
“For me, it was a poor analogy to use in the context of the modern-day world we live in, and it won’t happen again.”
Twitter users reacted as Carlton Cole apologises for ‘grim’ comments made live on BBC Radio 5 Live…
Dear everyone involved in football,
Nothing that happens on the pitch should be compared to the industrialised mass murder of millions of people.
Joey Barton, you started this.
Carlton Cole, you’re continuing it.Bloody end it, now. https://t.co/fgSecxcGyC
— Jack Mendel 🗞️ (@Mendelpol) November 28, 2021
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing as I drove along the M32 in Bristol. What compounded things is that it took @5liveSport sport way too (20 minutes) to say sorry when the presenter – who perhaps wasn’t listening – should have dealt with it there and then.
— Rob Stewart (@RobStewart_) November 28, 2021
@TheBeattsGoOn: Why do people keep using this as a comparison, FFS?!
@TinderUppal:
“It’s a massacre”
“Given a beating”
“Being ripped apart”
Some odd terms used in sport.
@brfctom: Mans been watching Barton interviews 😭
@1LeePullen: Sad thing is I’m not surprised.
@HungusHiggleton: Soon to be Carlton Dole
@Salomon_Rando: Carlton Cole saying the Man City v West Ham game “could be a holocaust” is the most inappropriate thing I’ve heard on the radio for a while… 😳
@CFCLeah: Pretty shocked to hear Carlton Cole say what he said on 5Live earlier. More shocked now reading people defend it! Use any other word ffs: nightmare, disaster etc.
@6heB6: Carlton Cole joins Joey Barton in the Holocaust analogy club. It wouldn’t even enter my head in a football conversation with my mates so how on earth do these guys feel it appropriate to say in public 😡😡😡😡😡
@pjaiwavey: Ffs, some man wasn’t meant for the pundit ting
@Harry_Sherlock: Carlton Cole’s comments today come on the same day as the start of Hanukkah. Take him off the radio for a bit and teach him why that ‘Holocaust’ comment is so hurtful to so many. Because he clearly doesn’t know.
@JackSteveh9: Carlton Cole isn’t the brightest spark is he? What a plum.
@ajsCOYS: Strangest 2021 trend I’ve gotta say
@lordyfan: Are you gonna suspend him?.. Can’t have one rule for one and one for another
@CWriggers: Just read what Carlton Cole said on Five Live earlier. He’s always been, what’s the best way to say this, as thick as mince. How do some of these ex-players get a pundit gig?
@Walker_this_way: Happy Hanukkah to everyone except Carlton Cole, what an outrageous comment, should be sacked
@mark_1367: @MichaelVaughan got removed from media positions so there has to be consistency……..or does there????
@_Johnnymalone: Carlton Cole proving once again he hasn’t got much in the upstairs department
@MartinDB07: Wonder if the @bbc will apply the same standards to Carlton Cole after his anti-semitic comments as they did to the ALLEGED racist comment by Michael Vaughan…. 🙄🙄🙄 #DoubleStandards
@cmfc1885: What a bellend.
@WilsonNichols: Carlton Cole saying holocaust live on air. Hopefully never on the radio again #bbcfootball
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