Former Celtic and Southampton manager Gordon Strachan has been axed by Sky after controversial remarks made about Adam Johnson during a recent edition of The Debate.
The Scot, 62, appeared to defend Johnson to a certain extent, by questioning if it was okay for fans to shout names at him were he to return to the pitch after serving time in jail.
MORE: Adam Johnson spotted wearing clothes with strange label following prison release
Strachan’s comments compared references to his alleged crimes to footballers being on the receiving end of racist abuse from fans, and Sky has now chosen not to use him again, according to the Guardian.
Sky have released a statement saying they do not support the comments, which certainly sound poorly thought through when you look at them.
“If he goes on to the pitch and people start calling him names, have we got to do the same as it is to the racist situation?” he said, as quoted by the Guardian.
“Is it all right to call him names now after doing his three years – have we got to allow that to happen?”
Strachan is well respected in the game for a long and successful managerial career, though it looks like the right decision not to endorse opinions like this, even in the interest of debate.
Johnson was released from prison towards the end of last month, the Guardian reported at the time, with the former Sunderland and England winger serving three years for child sex offences.