Millwall manager Alex Neil has faced criticism for saying he did not 'see the point' in stopping his side's Championship clash with Swansea City for around eight minutes due to alleged racist chanting. The match was halted following a report of racist chanting from the home crowd during the second half of Millwall's 1-0 defeat at The Den on Tuesday.
Referee Edward Duckworth spoke at length to both managers during the stoppage. Swansea later released a statement clarifying that the alleged abuse was aimed at Jisung Eom, a substitute who was warming up on the side of the pitch but did not come on.
Neil's comments spark backlash
The game was goalless at the time of the alleged incident before Swansea winger Ronald scored a 90th-minute winner for Vitor Matos' side. Neil said after the match that the stoppage 'killed the momentum' and suggested it harmed Millwall's chances of beating the league leaders.
"I understand there's been an incident. It's not something I'm going to get involved in," Neil told BBC Radio London. "That'll be for the authorities to deal with. But the fact that it stops the game for 15 minutes, I just don't see the point."
"It needs to get dealt with, absolutely, but stopping the game doesn't deal with anything. All it does is kill the momentum. Listen, if we score I probably don't feel this way, but that's how I feel just now."
Club opens investigation
Neil added to Southwark News: "What happens is the stoppage is because the referee needs to speak to the safety officer. The safety officer, if he comes down within one minute, the game will start in one minute. If he comes down after half an hour, the game starts in half an hour."
"That's why the stoppage was as long as it was, which is a shame because you're not going to deal with that moment, however disappointing it is, and it is unacceptable. Nothing gets solved then."
His comments sparked backlash on social media, with Neil criticised for downplaying the allegation while some pointed out the stoppage was much shorter than 15 minutes.
Millwall confirmed in a statement that the club have opened an investigation. "Millwall Football Club is aware of an alleged, individual incident of discriminatory abuse towards a Swansea City player during the second-half of Tuesday evening's Sky Bet Championship match," the statement read.
"The club operates a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of discriminatory abuse. Any individual found to have engaged in such behaviour will face the strongest possible action."
"The club is working alongside the relevant authorities to establish the facts and is unable to comment further as tonight's alleged incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which the club fully supports."
