April 5 – Hull City manager Liam Rosenior is the latest club manager to call for social media users to be made more accountable after being the target of online racist comments.
The abuse came after Rosenior was announced as a nominee for EFL Championship manager of the season on Wednesday.
“Hull City has zero tolerance of any form of discrimination,” said the club in a statement. “Our stance is clear: racism has no place in football or society.”
Rosenior insisted that action needed to be taken. The Tigers’ boss said it had affected his family, saying “it hurts when my kids are bringing it up”.
“For something that can be really positive for my kids to read about something I’m doing, for it to turn into that it leaves a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth,” he said.
“That’s why I’m not on it [social media] but I know it affects my kids, I know it affects my family, and something needs to be done about it because it affects my players as well.”
He added: “People can talk about whether I’m a good manager or not a good manager or if my team’s good or whether we’re not good, that’s football, that’s normal, or whether I should be in the job or out of a job that’s absolutely fine.
“But when people write things about the colour of my skin, to do with something that should be a positive thing, I have to make a statement and say that is unacceptable.”
Under Rosenior’s management Hull are in 10th place in the Championship, trailing the play-offs by six points. The club were looking on track for a play-off finish but their aspirations were hindered by a run of six winless matches, sparking criticism online that has evolved into something much uglier.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing at moc.l1734978387labto1734978387ofdlr1734978387owedi1734978387sni@g1734978387niwe.1734978387yrrah1734978387