Transfer Director Tony Henry (suspended) dismissed by club

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  • Just to illustrate the point, this is an example of a snapchat conversation I have with my friend, and then I changed the name.

    Please ignore the content of this conversation it's PERSONAL OK?!

    Screen Shot 2018-02-02 at 22.40.01
  • But why are you friends with the Snake?
  • Because I am in the know (ITK, for you mere mortals)
  • I'll just leave this out there, but definitely not in Henry's defence.

    Tony Henry said (reportedly):
    "West Ham do indeed want to limit the number of African players because 'they have a bad attitude' and 'cause mayhem' when they are not in the team."

    I still reckon he was just too clumsy with his words. You must admit that when the African Cup of Nations is on, African players do cause mayhem when they’re not in the team.
  • IronHerb said:

    The Mail knows though.

    A first time for everything... ;wink
  • edited February 2018
    shf, he was too stupid to say 'we want to limit the number of players who are going to be absent during ACON because that leaves us a bit short'. ;doh

    (Although, thinks;hmm ... isn't ACON moving to he summer - so it won't affect PL players in future?)
  • Given that the Henry conversation was with the Mail I'm pretty sure they are in the know and have given the transcript (or recording) of the conversation to West Ham. That's also why I presume the second person, as yet unnamed, has been suspended.
  • In the full context of the interview. The interviewer presses Henry on questions and he replies with "i dont know what you are getting at" he should have known by this point he had said some very stupid things but still continued none the less despite knowing the intentions of the interviewer.

    The interviewer was certainly fishing for it and Henry was stupid enough to more than oblige, i get the feeling Henry is one of those that say "I'm not a racist i have many black friend's" etc but at the same time will throw a label around their necks to try and validate a point.

    If he and the club was disgruntled with certain players in the camp over XYZ then he could have just name dropped. Alternatively he doesn't speak to the press what so ever and whatever issues or problems he and the club have with an individual are dealt with internally.

    He got baited and got caught hook line and sinker. Glad he's gone.
  • edited February 2018

    Given that the Henry conversation was with the Mail I'm pretty sure they are in the know and have given the transcript (or recording) of the conversation to West Ham.

    ;ok I read somewhere yesterday that WH did have the transcript. I'll see if I can find where I saw that.

    Edit: here https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/feb/02/david-moyes-west-ham-african-players
    It is understood the club acted after reading a full transcript of an interview he gave to the newspaper.
  • It was an interview? I thought it was an email conversation which got leaked to the press?
  • Lukerz

    I think the Daily Mail contacted Henry for his comments.
  • edited February 2018
    I think that's just the way they are describing it, Luke. The DM reporter phoned him up to talk to him after they had seen the email, and he took the call and answered the questions = interview.

    But it wasn't a pre-arranged 'interview' in the sense that the word is sometimes used.
  • Too slow ;weep
  • Your powers are weak...
  • I have a feeling that there are quite a few people at the club who perhaps would have felt more comfortable in the football world of 30 or 40 years ago. I think this is part of a necessary, and for the club, embarrassing process of elimination of characters who are incapable of functioning in the 21st century social media fishbowl of football.
  • SHF - I think it's more a case of the following:

    I have a feeling that there are quite a few people at the club in football who perhaps would have felt more comfortable in the football world of 30 or 40 years ago.

    I think this is part of a necessary, and for the clubfootball culture, embarrassing process of elimination of characters who are incapable of functioning in the 21st century social media fishbowl of football.

  • Agree with the general feeling that he was stupid saying (and emailing) what he did. But a minor problem for me is that if he used the term "black footballers" he was indeed racist. If he used the term "African footballers" he was being xenophobic, and to hang him on the racist hook is in fact wrong.
    I think he should go on the grounds of being stupid and xenophobic, by the way.
    Oh, and Marky's comment about "tough" Portugese was complimentary, so not offensive to Portugese nationals (of any colour.) Marky Mark can do no wrong ;wink
  • Kuching

    But Henry clearly meant black Africans, as he spent deadline day trying to sign Slimani
  • Alderz: that's what you infer he meant, but he didn't actually say it. What he did say was so poorly worded and had so many contradictions that journalists could make what they like of it. And the Mail naturally led the way, interpreting his words as negatively as possible. The only positive was that the club reacted rapidly and decisively.
  • I don’t think the Mail interpreted his words negatively at all. They printed what he said but more to the point gave the club the transcript of the telephone call.
  • The headline is certainly steering readers towards an interpretation, before they've even read the article and seen the quotes: 'sparks race row'.

    Then the 2nd sentence 'After being confronted by Sportsmail, Henry made the shocking admission ....' More editorialising.

    The DM (and others) are very good at this.

    On a separate point, in looking at the way the Mail reported it I read the original article (which I hadn't before) . Tony Henry actually also said, 'If you've got too many, they all sit together and it becomes a situation where you can have problems.' ;doh ;angry
  • Bit like when the Liverpool and Manchester United players used to sit on separate tables whilst on England Duty! ;nonono
  • Alderz, Thorn: take your point. But he's gone now, and Sully has promised an overhaul of hiring/transfers, so one door closes and another opens (we hope.) ;hug
  • edited March 2018
    Latest financial report also states that Sully was in control of Player Recruitment in Karren Brady's report

    " David Sullivan is in charge of this operation, and in effect takes a Director Football role in helping to select and negotiate all football transfers alongside the Manager. The Board would like to register its thanks to him for all of the hard work he puts into this very important role."

    So why did Tony Henry take all of the blame for the 'African player' debacle if he wasnt in overall control of player recruitment. If I was an employment lawyer for him I would be sharpening my pencils.
  • Dont worry about Tony henry he was looked after im sure to take the rap for everything
  • BBB. I guess because it was Tony Henry that made the ill judged comments to the media.
  • BBB. I guess because it was Tony Henry that made the ill judged AND UNTRUE comments to the media.

    Fixed it ;ok
  • MrsGrey

    ;ok ;clap
  • edited March 2018
    Looking back through this thread, and a post by OCS on Feb 1st
    OCS posted -
    "Interesting article. A couple of highlights:

    "Pressed by the Daily Mail, he denied the policy was racist and suggested it was supported by club management.
    West Ham have denied that is the case, insisting the board does not get involved in identifying potential signings."

    The board does not get involved in identifying potential signings

    Pretty sure Sully does, and has said as much in interviews"

    The truth will out !!!!!
    ;ok
  • edited March 2018
    I took that to be making a distinction between scouting (ie what Henry was in charge of) and drawing up lists of potential signings to be brought to 'the committee' (DS and DM?), and then the process of selecting from that list and subsequent negotiations.

    At no point do I think 'the Board' as a body are involved (as distinct from 1 member of it).

    Maybe the truth already is out. ;ok
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