Ex-Liverpool chief to escape FA action despite 'lazy stereotyping' of four Chelsea stars

A former Liverpool chief has recently claimed that Raheem Sterling and four other black players might have ended up in jail if they hadn't found football. Former Norwich director of football, Stuart Webber, is quoted by The Pinkun has suggesting that Sterling, Jonny Rowe, Abu Kamara, Max Aarons and Jamal Lewis all needed to find success in football "because the alternative is potentially jail or something else."

Despite the comments, it would appear that Webber will avoid any FA disciplinary action as he is now no longer an active participant in the game. According to the Daily Mail, sources with knowledge of the FA's disciplinary system have told Mail Sport that Webber's racial stereotyping would almost definitively have led to him being charged with breaching Rule E3.

However, since the Welshman left Norwich last November the FA are unable to act and the governing body are understood to be left frustrated by their lack of powers to take action against a man who has spent 21 years working in senior recruitment and scouting roles at six different clubs before leaving Carrow Road.

The England international and blues forward Sterling was reported to be left 'furious and deeply offended' by the comments and one of the mentioned stars has reached out to Webber personally to ask for an explanation. The report claims that he has since apologised to some of the players and their families. Sterling is not said to be one of them, however.

Kick It Out has also condemned the comments by saying Webber's words were "deeply offensive and concerning. To read such callous language being used by someone who until recently was a senior executive at the top of the English game paints a very damning picture.

"Resorting to lazy stereotyping is clearly upsetting for those who have been targeted, but also shows a complete lack of respect for their families, who have played a huge part in the journeys that the players have been on."

Kamara, who is currently on loan at League One side Portsmouth, having been at Norwich since 2013, denounced the comments by stating: "My family and I are deeply saddened and shocked by the comments made by Stuart Webber. I want to say to all the black and ethnic minority children that you don't have to be a professional athlete to avoid living a life of crime and it is important that younger audiences are not left with this false narrative.

"I’m proud of where I come from and acknowledge the sacrifices my family made in order for me to have a career in football. These remarks are a sign that there is still a long way to go to be treated equally. You can be whatever you want to be as long as you work hard, believe in yourself and be consistent in what you do."