To many Italian former footballer Gennaro Gattuso will be remembered as the man who grabbed former Scotland hard man Joe Jordan by the throat after a dreadful challenge by Mathieu Flamini’s on Vedran Corluka. He then butted the 59-year-old who was Harry Redknapp’s assistant at Spurs when they achieved a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash in 2011.
Gattuso’s agent claimed he was “severely provoked” by Joe Jordan. He may well have been.
If he was he will have certainly provoked the ire of many involved in the ever growing women’s game with his comment “I can’t really see women in football. I don’t like to say it but that’s how it is.”
He was talking about the fact that last week Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani agreed to share his role with Barbara Berlusconi, daughter of club president Silvio.
He may well have not agreed with the appointment and the fact that the President’s daughter was given such a key role, which is evident when one reads he said “For someone like Galliani there should be more respect.” However he will not have done himself any favours by making such a general comment that women have no place in football. They have proved in the past 15 years that they do have a place and their honesty on the park is a welcome and refreshing thing to watch in light of the men continually trying to con referees.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but such general sexist statements one had hoped were a thing of the past.
