Mauricio Pochettino has said the online abuse Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has received this week ‘upset him so much’.
Gallagher has been a target for trolls online after a video clip in the tunnel ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Burnley, in which the midfielder accidentally blanked a high-five from a young mascot, leading to accusations of racism.
The abuse came despite the full clip showing Gallagher greeting the mascot beforehand and placing an arm around the youngster before leading the team out. Chelsea issued a statement condemning the comments directed at the 24-year-old.
“The subsequent level of abuse and defamatory comments directed towards Conor Gallagher is completely unacceptable,” the statement read.
“We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.”
Pochettino has now addressed the social media reaction to Gallagher and expressed his unhappiness at the trolls who have targeted the midfielder.
“It’s upset me so much, because no-one wants to do something like this, with this intention. I think he has many videos and photography with the mascots,” Pochettino said at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Manchester United
“When you play football, when you are there with many things, you are focusing to play, to start the game, look, that sometimes can happen. But I think people try to find things to create a mess and to abuse the people that if you know, I know Conor, I know that is people involved here at Chelsea. I can speak for the people I know, come on, that was never was his intention.
“Conor is a great, great kid, always is caring about everything. I hate with the people who abuse on things like this. I think we believe we need to stop this type of thing. For people today, it is so easy [to abuse]. It’s to pay attention to that also. To give too much attention to the people who want to create this type of thing to mess, insult and abuse. Please stop.
“We are always puzzled about that. How is it possible to believe Conor’s intention is to ignore a mascot? Come on. It makes me very sad because I know Conor. Nobody deserves to be abused. Our responsibility is to ignore these types of things, and the people who try to create things who never help our live. We are involved in football and come on, we need to keep moving. It’s about support Conor, and people who get abuse.”
“It’s upset me so much, because no-one wants to do something like this, with this intention. I think he has many videos and photography with the mascots.
“When you play football, when you are there with many things, you are focusing to play, to start the game, look, that sometimes can happen. But I think people try to find things to create a mess and to abuse the people that if you know, I know Conor, I know that is people involved here at Chelsea. I can speak for the people I know, come on, that was never was his intention.
“Conor is a great, great kid, always is caring about everything. I hate with the people who abuse on things like this. I think we believe we need to stop this type of thing. For people today, it is so easy [to abuse]. It’s to pay attention to that also. To give too much attention to the people who want to create this type of thing to mess, insult and abuse. Please stop.
“We are always puzzled about that. How is it possible to believe Conor’s intention is to ignore a mascot? Come on. It makes me very sad because I know Conor. Nobody deserves to be abused. Our responsibility is to ignore these types of things, and the people who try to create things who never help our live. We are involved in football and come on, we need to keep moving. It’s about support Conor, and people who get abuse.”
