Sport 17-11-2004 Racism Overshadows Friendly Match who: England football team what: Play Spain in friendly where: Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, Spain when: Tonight snippet: Tonight`s friendly game between Spain and England at the Bernabeu Stadium - not to mention last night`s U21 match - has been overshadowed by accusations of racism, says Paul Newman in The Independent. Spain`s veteran manager, Luis Aragonés, "who was at the centre of controversy last month when he made racist remarks about Thierry Henry, was at it again yesterday as he prepared for tonight`s match here against England." Aragonés referred to Henry as a "black shit" while trying to motivate his club colleague Jose Antonio Reyes in a Spain training session, writes Newman, but yesterday, according to The Guardian, the 66 year-old made "a wholly inadequate attempt to repair the damage" resulting in a tirade against the English, who he accused of chasing after black people in "the colonies". To compound the insult, last night, as England`s U21 side was beaten 1-0, captain Glen Johnson, Carlton Cole and Darren Bent were met with monkey noises from the Spanish supporters. England coach Sven Goran Eriksson refused to comment on Aragonés`s outbursts. "When asked if he thought he would have been dismissed if he had made similar comments," says Newman, "Eriksson replied: `I wouldn`t recognise myself if I said that. I can`t answer that question because I would never say that`." Meanwhile, Robbie Keane scored his 24th international goal to give the Republic of Ireland a 1-0 victory over Croatia at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. "Duff beat two defenders to get to the bye-line before passing into the six-yard box for Keane to sidefoot home," says the BBC. "The result means the Irish are now undefeated in the 14 home games played since Brian Kerr took over as manager." Finally, Scotland`s caretaker manager Tommy Burns will be in charge for tonight`s friendly against Sweden at Easter Road and, remarks The Guardian`s Dominic Fifield, it will be the first time he has picked a team since he watched Reading FC getting beaten 3-1 by Bournemouth in October 1999 as the crowd chanted "Burns must go". [... more]

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