New Valencia coach Gennaro Gattuso finds it ‘surreal I have to defend myself’ against accusations of racism, sexism and homophobia, but tried to explain those past comments.
Many fans were against the idea of hiring the Italian as their tactician due to his close relationship with agent Jorge Mendes, but also cited some of his past comments that were considered off colour and offensive.
During his presentation press conference at the Mestalla this evening, Gattuso hit back at the accusations, starting with his insult against former Milan director Barbara Berlusconi, the daughter of President Silvio.
“I’ll tell you what this is about. First, the issue of women in football was referring to something said 15 years ago and there is no video or anything to corroborate it
“Adriano Galliani, after 25 years of hard work, had been replaced by a 28-year-old woman with no experience in the sport, so that didn’t seem like a great decision to me.”
The second comment was suggesting players should ‘ignore’ racist abuse from the stands.
“As for being racist, they asked me something about Boateng when I was coach of Sion and I said he shouldn’t worry about what four idiots in the crowd think. I come from a small village in Calabria, so for years and years I got all sorts of insults in Italy.
“I worked with many black players, it really irritates me to have to sit here and explain certain things to you.
“There were even suggestions I couldn’t work because of my illness. I have ocular myasthenia and I have done for 12 years. I heard people say I can’t work, can’t live a normal life, can’t afford to raise my stress levels: all of that is bull!”
It is an auto-immune disease that can cause the muscles that control the eyes and eyelids to weaken, so for a while during his time as the coach of Napoli, he had to wear an eye-patch.
Gattuso has signed a two-year contract at Valencia and was greeted at the airport last night by cheering fans, despite the controversy and tension among some club supporters.
#Gattuso al Valencia: “Io massacrato, surreale che mi debba difendere da accuse di razzismo” https://t.co/jIqtwD1jsl
— GazzaMondo (@ETGazzetta) June 9, 2022
Legend. Stay strong and fight this with hunting world we’re living in.
witch*
Glad he’s standing his ground, doubt the critics are a bunch of perfect peters themselves
All drivel circulated by British media! Whenever there is racist abuse, fans attacking players and coaches on pitch or hooliganism in england, it is always the minority! But if and when it happens abroad, then its made out to incapsulated the entire league or country! What he said about Barbara was proven right too! Woman or man, they took the job away from galliani and gave it to someone with no experience! Ringhio has more integrity and worth than all of his detractors put together!
@Rosario
Spot on about the english media!