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A bit of frivolity in Leipzig over the weekend saw a chant catch on for new signing Ezri Konsa, which should stay in Germany with all things considered.
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During Aston Villa’s weekend trip to Germany to face RB Leipzig, a version of the England national team’s chant for Harry Maguire surfaced, involving new signing Ezri Konsa.
The song involves discussion of Konsa’s drinking habits, before passing comment on the size of his penis – an issue previously discussed by anti-discriminatory body Kick it Out in regards to a Manchester United chant for Romelu Lukaku.
This also happened just nine or so months ago with Everton fans discussing defender Yerry Mina.
Whilst some fans will beg the question of how the chant is discriminatory, it perpetuates racial stereotypes that have long been held – and likely wouldn’t be sung if Konsa was of another ethnicity. Any assumption based upon the colour of someone’s skin is racist.
This supposedly ‘positive’ statement is not a problem-free statement to make. There’s a likelihood that someone holding this stereotypical thought is going to hold others towards those of other ethnicities and religions too.
It’s not just banter. There are deeper issues underlying this, but one we’re not going to delve into. We’ll likely be called ‘snowflakes’ for proposing that this chant shouldn’t make it to the stands of Villa Park.
But if we can nip this in the bud early, before the likes of Ezri Konsa or Kick it Out have to speak up, much like what happened with Romelu Lukaku, then we can prove that our fans aren’t what is often reported.
