Crooks: 'UEFA dismayed over Blatter's remarks'

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 17 November 2011

Garth Crooks thinks that UEFA would have been horrified after hearing Sepp Blatter's controversial comments regarding racism in football.

Kick it Out campaigner Garth Crooks thinks that UEFA are in "horror" of FIFA president Sepp Blatter's comments regarding racism in football.

The head of the governing body caused outrage after seemingly taking a lax attitude on racism issues on the pitch.

"Do not underestimate the resonance this comment has had around the world," Crooks told talkSPORT. "I can tell you now UEFA will not say this officially but they are completely dismayed and are sitting in horror because of what has been said.

"Racism has never been solved in the glare of the public eye, it is solved behind closed doors with the funding partners, with organisations, with the people that run the game quietly and effectively."

The former Tottenham Hotspur forward thinks that it is important not to get "carried away" with condemning Blatter and ignoring the problem at hand.

"Let's not be carried away with Sepp Blatter," he added. "Occasionally he will say things that will grab our attention but there are a lot of people in football looking very, very hard to ignore some of those comments and get to the heart of the matter and this is what we're doing."

Meanwhile, Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has hit out at the German's comments and believes it is time for the 75-year-old to resign.