Abusive fans should be jailed, although that is unlikely to curb a culture of hatred that has seeped into soccer, Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock said on Friday.
Chelsea fans taunted QPR’s Anton Ferdinand during a Champions League match in Belgium on Tuesday in an apparent show of support for captain John Terry, who is being investigated by police following allegations he racially abused the defender during last month’s west London derby.
Chelsea have pledged to punish the offenders who chanted during the 1-1 draw at Genk, but Warnock said that was unlikely to happen.
“I’ve only read about the abusive chants, but I’m afraid in today’s society nothing surprises me,” he said told reporters before his team was to face Premier League leaders Manchester City at Loftus Road yesterday.
“You see what happens when Liverpool play United, the abuse that managers get. Stewards look away — some of them even smile at the abuse you get. I think fans should be put in prison for about two years each, but that’s just me flying a kite, isn’t it?” he said.
Warnock held little hope the matter would be resolved and accepted the taunts as a fact of modern life.
“It’s all right saying we’re going to look into it, but you can’t look into that. When you see the hatred in some of these guys’ faces — it’s frightening,” he said. “You’re probably talking about guys who wear suits to work all week. It’s all very well to say you’re getting rid of the excess when you go to a football match, but some of it goes way over the top.”
Terry has strongly denied the allegations relating to Ferdinand, who has been praised by Warnock for the way he has played since joining QPR earlier this season.
However, the manager was not so keen on his player’s social networking habit.
“I think he’s a twit for using Twitter,” Warnock said. “I don’t agree with it, but I suppose if you’re into that you have to take the rough with the smooth.”
“I’ve already told him to come off Twitter. I’m not a big fan of people talking to big groups of supporters when there’s a problem at any club. There’s only one winner in that situation,” Warnock said.
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