MAURICE ROSS has apologised for making a "clumsy” racially insensitive comment aimed at Notts County player Enzio Boldewijn.
Ross, 40, resigned from his role as assistant manager at the club following a remark he made during the second half of County’s match with Altrincham on Saturday.
He confirmed on BBC Sportsound that he said of Boldewijn: “He looks like he is moving like a 40-year-old, what age is he actually? Does he have [a] doctored African passport”.
Explaining his comments, Ross said: “At the time it was clearly a reference to his ability because he is normally a quick player. I had no other intentions, other than I was questioning the mobility of a footballer. When I hear it back now, I’m wincing at it.
“There’s no rhyme or reason for it, it was a clumsy analogy, it was an insensitive analogy,” he added when asked why he felt it appropriate to make the remark.
“If I could take it back I would. This is a fellow professional. I have insulted his physical attributes and used a poor analogy to do so. I just feel sad that I’ve made a guy who is actually a really lovely boy, a nicer boy you couldn’t meet, feel bad about himself. That’s where my pain lies at the moment.”
Ross also confirmed that he resigned from his role as opposed to being sacked by the club. He continued: “The buck needs to stop with me in this and I’ve walked away from a four-and-a-half-year contract because of my guilt, my ill-feeling that I have had it in me to make another professional feel bad and it’s something that I need to carry about with me now.
“This is why I’m here, not to be exonerated. I’m here to apologise to an individual, Enzio, who is a cracking footballer, a cracking lad and I can only say sorry.”
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