Gennaro Gattuso has dismissed ideas that he’s racist, sexist or homophobic, after stories that he was rejected for the supervisor’s job at Tottenham Hotspur because of a fan backlash over previous feedback.
Gattuso, 43, was among the many prolonged checklist of names linked to the vacant managerial place on the North London membership this summer season however was in the end missed.
Spurs have since appointed former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Nuno Espirito Santo to the publish held by Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in April after simply 17 months on the membership.
Spurs endured widespread mockery as their seek for a substitute took in a bunch of names from throughout the continent who apparently ended up giving them the chilly shoulder.
Nevertheless, in Gattuso’s case appreciable pushback from followers is alleged to have been a think about why the Spurs hierarchy opted in opposition to pursuing the fiery former Italy midfielder, regardless of his availability after leaving Fiorentina simply 23 days following his appointment on the Serie A membership.
Good to see Spurs Twitter united ?#NoToGattuso pic.twitter.com/zumj68gdds
— Kevin Gower © (@KGower83) June 17, 2021
As ever, it isn’t smart for us to touch upon hypothesis. Nevertheless, we are able to and do talk supporter sentiment to the choice makers on the Membership, and have executed so very clearly on this event. We’re conscious of and performing in your considerations round potential managerial candidates.
— THST (@THSTOfficial) June 18, 2021
The hashtag #NoToGattuso trended on Twitter within the UK after hypothesis emerged that Spurs may flip to the 2006 World Cup winner, whereas followers dragged up previous quotes from Gattuso on points together with racism, same-sex marriage and ladies in soccer.
One other incident Spurs followers have been fast to seize on was the previous AC Milan midfielder’s notorious conflict with Spurs’ then-assistant supervisor Joe Jordan throughout a Champions League sport on the San Siro in 2011.
#NoToGattuso @SpursOfficial – make the correct resolution for our membership pic.twitter.com/OnyaOp73RE
— Dominic Everett (@dominic_everett) June 18, 2021
However Gattuso himself has dismissed the concept fan stress and claims of previous misconduct value him the Spurs job.
“I discover it onerous to assume that this was the explanation for my failure to maneuver to Tottenham,” he informed La Repubblica newspaper, as reported by Gianluca Di Marzio.
“On the restrict, their followers could have been left with the picture of my combat with [Joe] Jordan in 2011, who was their assistant supervisor on the time.
“Me racist, sexist and homophobic? That’s not true, ask my former teammates. A few of my statements have been misrepresented.”
Gattuso went on to counsel that the accusations in opposition to him – together with that he’s homophobic for asserting in 2008 that same-sex marriage shouldn’t be allowed in church buildings – meant that he was a sufferer of “keyboard hatred.”
“My story teaches that keyboard hatred is one thing harmful and underestimated,” he mentioned.
“I’m a public determine and I’ve the energy to react, however there are lots of different individuals who could not succeed and possibly throw themselves out of the window out of weak spot.
“I need to inform the youth to reside their lives, not those of others.”
Gattuso guided Napoli to Coppa Italia success in 2020, however was sacked on the finish of final season after the workforce didn’t qualify for the Champions League.
Napoli completed fifth within the Serie A desk, one level behind Juventus, following a final-day draw with Verona.