Patrick Bamford compares Super League outrage to tame racism response
By Tom Gott
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has hit out at football's governing bodies for seemingly caring more about money than they do about social issues such as racism.
Since the announcement of the Super League on Sunday evening, FIFA, UEFA, the Premier League and almost every other governing body inside and outside of football have been releasing statements left, right and centre, acting immediately to try and neutralise this danger to the modern game.
There have been serious threats thrown up by UEFA, who have repeatedly stressed their desire to ban those involved from the Champions League immediately, but speaking after his side's 1-1 draw with Liverpool, Bamford questioned where that anger is when a player is racially abused.
"We have just seen what everyone has seen [with the Super League news]," Bamford told Sky Sports. "It is amazing the things they are talking about. I can't comprehend.
"It is amazing the uproar that comes into the game when someone's pocket is being hurt. It is a shame it isn't like that with other things going wrong at the minute, like racism.
"I haven't seen one football fan who is happy about the decision and football is ultimately for the fans."
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2021
Patrick Bamford gives his thoughts on the proposed breakaway European Super League after #LUFC's draw with #LFC. pic.twitter.com/qBTirdetBg
"We are like fans. We can't believe [the Super League proposal] and don't know what is going to happen. We are in shock. From what I have seen, I haven't seen one fan who is happy, and football is ultimately about the fans. Without the fans football is nothing and it is important we stand our ground and show football is for the fans."
Bamford's comments come shortly after Rangers' Glen Kamara was hit with a three-match ban for having the nerve to get upset after being racially abused by Slavia Prague's Ondrej Kudela, who himself was only handed a ten-game suspension. It took UEFA weeks to decide on those bizarre punishments, yet the desire to ban Super League teams came up in a matter of hours.
After the game, manager Marcelo Bielsa also took the chance to weigh in on the controversy, admitting he was not shocked to see the rich trying to get richer.
“It shouldn’t surprise us. In all walks of life the powerful look after their own and don’t worry about the rest of us,” Bielsa told BBC Sport. “The big teams are also created due to the opposition of the other teams. In the search for higher economic earnings they forget about the rest. The powerful are more rich and the weak are poorer. It doesn’t do good to football in general.
“There are a lot of structures that should have prevented these forces from coming. For me sincerely I am not surprised because in all walks of life same thing happens, so why wouldn’t it happen in football.”