PAUL Roos has lashed out at people who engage in racial vilification in all walks of life – not just in football – following some recent incidents, which included defender Neville Jetta being on the receiving end recently.
Roos said there was no place for racist comments and said it was “disappointing” Jetta had been subjected to it.
“Nev’s been really good and I haven’t spoken to him directly about it, because we only [recently] found out about it as coaches and we didn’t know too much about it until [Tuesday],” he told Dee TV.
“It’s just disappointing – it’s disappointing that people go to the football or go anywhere [and racially vilify anyone]. I don’t know exactly what was said, but I just can’t believe it happens.
“I think from a positive point of view, with Nev and [Sydney’s] Adam Goodes … [players] now realise there is a lot of support out there for them as well.”
Roos said there was now a groundswell of people prepared stand up against racism at the football.
“I think if we focus on the positives and stamp it [out] – I think it’s great that Essendon fans identified it, from what I can gather, from one of their own,” he said.
“The response of the Melbourne people – I think it was girlfriends and people sitting around that area – people aren’t going to tolerate it anymore.
“So if you come to the footy and say anything racist – don’t come, because you’re going to get found out and get exposed for the craziness of what you do and what you say.”
Meanwhile, Roos said the club genuinely wanted to challenge Chris Dawes’ one-match suspension for striking Richmond defender Alex Rance.
“We would’ve loved to have challenged it – there’s no question,” he said.
“Sometimes you take your punishment, rather than getting an extra week, so there’s no doubt that we felt that Dawesy – based on some of the other decisions and I don’t want to say it was an incorrect decision – but we probably disagreed with the decision.
“You go and risk another week and you just can’t do that with the unpredictability the way it is.”
