Pires: Henry should sue Spain boss

Robert Pires today called for Spain coach Luis Aragones to be sued for "racial aggression" for racist comments he made about Thierry Henry.

The Arsenal midfielder stepped into the row involving his clubmate and fellow France international by urging Henry to take action against the 66-year-old national coach.

"He should be sued for racial aggression," Pires said today. "He shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. He needs to be cornered on this."

Aragones tried to motivate Jose Antonio Reyes during training yesterday by insisting that he was a better player than his Arsenal clubmate Henry, whom he did not refer to by name.

Locking heads with Reyes, Aragones shouted in his face: "Some players have to see things more clearly. Tell that black s**t that you are better than him. Tell him from me. You have to believe in yourself; you're better than that black s**t."

The comments were picked up by microphones and caused a storm when they were broadcast on Spanish television last night.

But Angel Maria Villar, president of the Spanish Football Federation, ruled out taking any action against Aragones.

"I wish to point out that Luis Aragones is no racist," he insisted. "He is a great professional and it is absurd to think otherwise. He has coached many foreign and coloured players and he has always been correct and respectful.

"I think the reported comments said during training have been taken completely out of context and it is disappointing to see that he has been involved in such a controversial incident."

Aragones denied racism and insisted his comments had been a joke aimed at psyching up Reyes, who described the remarks as "a bit of a laugh".

Pires was unrepentant, saying the comments were "not funny at all", and they were also condemned by football's anti-racist campaigners.

Leon Mann, a spokesman for Kick It Out, said: "The fact that this has arisen shows some of the attitudes that still exist in the game in hidden quarters. For the manager of a national team, one of the leading football nations, to make these comments is a blow for the game."

He said Aragones's comments were not as offensive as those made by Ron Atkinson, who was forced to resign as an ITV football pundit earlier this year after describing Marcel Desailly as a "f****** lazy thick n****r".

"Atkinson used the term n****r, which was particularly hurtful to the black community," Mann added. "Still, any form of racist abuse is very disappointing."

"It is not a perfect situation in the UK but it is a lot better than across most of Europe. There is a lot of work to be done in Spain."

A spokesman for FIFA said: "The coach is an employee of the Spanish Football Federation and it is their responsibility. If someone makes a formal complaint to us, we would look into it."

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