EPL: Vincent Kompany slams Burnley fans booing players for taking the knee
Burnley coach, Vincent Kompany has reacted to fans of the newly-promoted Premier League club booing players for taking the knee before the league’s opener last night.
As players of both teams kneeled, in demonstration against racism in football, ahead of the first game of the season at Turf Moor, a group of spectators booed and jeered them.
Kompany who couldn’t hide his disappointment with Burnley fans booing players, told SkySports;
“Let’s be honest, it’s not something new. It’s not something that has happened for the first time. Of course I can’t be happy with it, I’m not happy with it. The colour of my skin should make it clear why I’m not.
“But the amount of people that booed is a lot, lot less than it used to be. These people are part of our family so we need to work together to change the mentalities. I know it was a lot worse before, it’s a fraction of what it used to be. It’s still not good enough but we’re making progress.
“For my side obviously, I am very clear on this, I am for inclusion always. But this is about progress. It is not new, it has happened in the past. The amount of booing is a fraction of what it used to be. I am not saying it is good enough but we need time.
“We are a family in the end and we need time to grow together. We are one family, it was a lot less tonight than it used to be and I am sure in one year it will be even less.”
It was confirmed earlier in the week that players would continue to take the knee before some matches throughout the 2023-24 season.
The gesture has been used since the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests.
In a joint statement, the Premier League captains said they were ‘unified in our belief that discrimination has no place in football, or wider society’.
Manchester City won the match by 3-0. Erling Haaland scored twice in the first half before Rodri added a third for Man City, who are going for a fourth successive league title after winning a historic treble last season.
Burnely will return to action against Aston Villa on August 27 after their trip to Luton Town was postponed to a later date.
