Andre Gray

[Hoopspur]

Comments aside, I actually think he's a good striker. He scored a load of goals in the past. He himself said he was a complete pratt for saying those things. He was being all gangsta. Got pace and is strong. Can play lone striker also. Don't think he would kick up too much if on the bench.

 

[double0]

We are living in an age where you can't say anything I'm not defending him about those tweets of course he was silly making it public however they were made 5 plus years ago he was a youngster and probably loved girls and just didn't have the compassion to understand, he also apologised. What got me was that it was dragged up many years later when he become more recognised....why not before.


would he be a good option I think yes he would.

 

[wirE]

Homophobic tendency I don't like having at my club

 

[widmerpool]

We are living in an age where you can't say anything

We're living in an age where violently homophobic statements are unacceptable, yes. Good.

I'm not defending him about those tweets

You give a strong impression to the contrary.

of course he was silly making it public

Would he be sensible if he was a closeted bigot?

however they were made 5 plus years ago he was a youngster and probably loved girls and just didn't have the compassion to understand,

Eh? Are heterosexual homophobes a tiny minority of the homophobic community who need to be treated with particular sensitivity and understanding?

he also apologised. What got me was that it was dragged up many years later when he become more recognised....why not before.

Yes, fame attracts scrutiny. Step-changes in fame attract step-changes in scrutiny, some of which is retrospective. That's part of the deal that comes with the absurd salaries for doing something which the vast majority of people do for fun. It applies to anyone in the public eye, and so it wasn't unfairly applied to this particular chap.

would he be a good option I think yes he would.

Separate discussion. But I can't believe that there is strong enough evidence that he is a diamond in the rough to overcome the clear character flaws, which would get exposed even more at a massive club.

 

[Larryjanta]

Torn between my liberal sensibilities finding his words so abhorrent as to not want him anywhere near our club and my liberal sensibilities saying everyone deserves a second chance.

If he's truly seen the error of his ways and is making amends, I don't think he should be hammered for all eternity for them *but* I also don't think I'd like to see him play for us.

But I also think that I'm a massive hypocrite and if we was banging in 30 goals a season, I'm worried my principled objections would melt away.

 

[Spurs Lodge Kittens]

He held his hands up and admitted how wrong he was. Was a lot younger at the time and was going through some difficult times if I remember correctly. Very naïve of him, but I think he deserves at least a second chance to show he's matured since then.

 

[SlunkSoma]

Torn between my liberal sensibilities finding his words so abhorrent as to not want him anywhere near our club and my liberal sensibilities saying everyone deserves a second chance.

If he's truly seen the error of his ways and is making amends, I don't think he should be hammered for all eternity for them *but* I also don't think I'd like to see him play for us.

But I also think that I'm a massive hypocrite and if we was banging in 30 goals a season, I'm worried my principled objections would melt away.

I'd just rather not be given the possibility to have my hypocracy rammed down my throat. A no from me. Kinda beside the point, but he's not even that good. Would prefer Callum Wilson.

 

[double0]

We're living in an age where violently homophobic statements are unacceptable, yes. Good.




You give a strong impression to the contrary.



Would he be sensible if he was a closeted bigot?



Eh? Are heterosexual homophobes a tiny minority of the homophobic community who need to be treated with particular sensitivity and understanding?



Yes, fame attracts scrutiny. Step-changes in fame attract step-changes in scrutiny, some of which is retrospective. That's part of the deal that comes with the absurd salaries for doing something which the vast majority of people do for fun. It applies to anyone in the public eye, and so it wasn't unfairly applied to this particular chap.



Separate discussion. But I can't believe that there is strong enough evidence that he is a diamond in the rough to overcome the clear character flaws, which would get exposed even more at a massive club.

Grow up. I haven't said anything that is offensive...

 

[widmerpool]

It was a couple of years after the homophobic tweets that he tweeted "I hate lightys!" - meaning light-skinned mixed race people. What a charmer.

 

[widmerpool]

Grow up. I haven't said anything that is offensive...

I didn't suggest that you did. I think that what you said was wrong, silly, misjudged, evidence of lazy thinking, perfectly consistent with sympathy for Gray's views, trite and badly expressed. It wasn't offensive, though.

 

[double0]

I didn't suggest that you did. I think that what you said was wrong, silly, misjudged, evidence of lazy thinking, perfectly consistent with sympathy for Gray's views, trite and badly expressed. It wasn't offensive, though.

Shut up.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

People do often learn from their mistakes, or were you all booing as Woodgate scored our winner in the cup final?

 

[heelspurs]

Not defending his tweets or thought process to send them but the question is, exactly what type of world are we living in where people can't make mistakes, contritely acknowledge them, and ultimately be forgiven their transgressions and be given a second chance? Those tweets are very disturbing indeed. I cannot wrap my head around a ~20 year old thinking those thoughts let alone putting them on out for public consumption. But at his age I was wrapping up my last year of university which I assume is significantly different from Gray's upbringing. If fortune blew a different way he could be open, enlightened and accepting and any one of us could have sent those tweets. This is an idea lost on many of you, we are creatures of our environment. His, apparently, was less than ideal. However, I also would not be happy with him at Spurs but that is mostly due to a distinct impression of 'averageness' not for passed misdeeds (assuming he truly has reformed).

Those on the moral high horse need to widen your respective lenses. The really funny thing is that it is likely that most of your football heroes are raging homophobes, racists & misogynistic fuckbags. If you are an adult and think differently then I fear for you around sharp objects. This is football we are talking about. The general demographic that plays and follows it is not educated, enlightened and forward thinking. If this was not the case then fans would not need to be separated before, during and after said games.

 

[ButchCassidy]

The apology, if anyone is interested: "Firstly, I want to offer a sincere and unreserved apology to anybody I may have offended in relation to these tweets. The tweets were posted four years ago when I was a completely different person to the man I am now. I was at a very different point in my life back then - one that I've worked hard to move on from.

"Thankfully a lot has changed in my life since then. I have experienced a lot over the past four years and have had to take responsibility for a number of things in my life which has enabled me to mature and grow as a person since that time.

"I have a lot of regrets regarding a number of things I've done in the past and realise I have made some big mistakes, none more so than these tweets, but I would like to stress that I've worked incredibly hard to completely transform my life since that time.

"To clarify, I do not hold the beliefs written in those tweets whatsoever. I can assure everybody that I am absolutely not homophobic and as said previously I can only apologise and ask for forgiveness to anyone I offended.”

 

[agrdavidsfan]

Arsenal through and through as are his family I believe?

No thanks.

 

[Mediocrates]

He was rolling in gangs when those tweets were made. Seems to have built himself up and out of that which is no mean feat. Should not be eternally vilified for parroting the views of where you come from when still a kid.

Despite all that, I don't think he's good enough so it's a no from me.

 

[Danfunkel]

Nah he can do one.

Not good enough for me, and he's a twat.

 

[Jamturk]

Rather Gray than King.

 

[worcestersauce]

The apology, if anyone is interested: "Firstly, I want to offer a sincere and unreserved apology to anybody I may have offended in relation to these tweets. The tweets were posted four years ago when I was a completely different person to the man I am now. I was at a very different point in my life back then - one that I've worked hard to move on from.

"Thankfully a lot has changed in my life since then. I have experienced a lot over the past four years and have had to take responsibility for a number of things in my life which has enabled me to mature and grow as a person since that time.

"I have a lot of regrets regarding a number of things I've done in the past and realise I have made some big mistakes, none more so than these tweets, but I would like to stress that I've worked incredibly hard to completely transform my life since that time.

"To clarify, I do not hold the beliefs written in those tweets whatsoever. I can assure everybody that I am absolutely not homophobic and as said previously I can only apologise and ask for forgiveness to anyone I offended.”

I was going to ask if anyone could point to his apology, it's always better to get the whole picture, thanks.
I take responsibility for taking this thread off on a bit of a tangent, apologies for that, but I didn't know what he had tweeted and sometimes what some people call homophobic is just a poor joke, this wasn't and he deserved to be reprimanded for it.
You have to wonder what is going on in somebody's head to tweet something like that but I have to say that this seems very sincere so I guess we have to take it at face value.

 

[yidmaster]

Not good enough for spurs we need better.