FA fail to see funny side of Sun's Hodgson pun

02 May 2012 17:47

The Football Association said a front page headline in Britain's biggest selling newspaper that made a joke out of new England manager Roy Hodgson's manner of speech was "unacceptable".

Wednesday's Sun reacted to Hodgson's appointment with a headline of 'Bwing on the Euwos!' (We'll see you in Ukwaine against Fwance)'.

According to the FA, this led to both the governing body and the UK's Press Complaints Commission receiving numerous complaints about the "poor taste and disrespectful" wording.

An FA statement issued Wednesday said: "The FA and the Press Complaints Commission have today received a large number of objections relating to the front page headline in The Sun newspaper, regarding Roy Hodgson's manner of speech.

"On this occasion, we will not be making an official complaint to the PCC but we have raised it with the newspaper and made it clear that their front page is unacceptable to us."

FA chairman David Bernstein added: "We are delighted at the media response to Roy's appointment but are disappointed with the headline in The Sun, which we consider is in poor taste and disrespectful."

In its story the Sun said Hodgson was "affectionately known as Woy due to his speech impediment".

A PCC spokesman said: "I can confirm we have had over a hundred complaints."

Many pundits and players attacked the Sun's poor taste including a former editor of the paper, David Yelland.

"So little compassion for Roy Hodgson today, bullying language, pointlessly cruel, pointlessly hurtful," he said.

News International, owners of the Sun, have yet to make any comment on the headline.

Hodgson was unveiled as England manager by the FA on Tuesday after emerging as the shock choice to succeed Fabio Capello following the Italian's resignation in February.

The 64-year-old former West Brom manager won out over 'fans favourite' Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham boss, for the England job.

Hodgson's first major tournament in charge of England will be the upcoming European Championships in Poland and Ukraine where the team play France in Donetsk on June 11.

The tabloid Sun, which has a daily sale of just over 2.5 million copies, is renowned for its colourful and risque headlines.

Source: AFP