New Ireland Manager clears up comments he made about controversial Mason Greenwood
The comments were made when the new Ireland boss was Jamaica manager
New Ireland manager, Heimir Hallgrimsson, clears up comments that he made about controversial Man United player, Mason Greenwood while he was the manager of the Jamaican National Team.
Mason Greenwood, the Manchester United player who was in the headlines for the wrong reasons in 2022, when he was arrested for attempted rape, assault causing bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour.
The case, in which Mason denied, was later dropped by Crown Prosecution Service.
Mason Greenwood, whose father was born in Jamaica and is therefore eligible to play for the country, Heimir, who was the manager at the time, said he would "love" to recruit Mason Greenwood.
He said in March,"I think what he has gone through in the year and a half since it happened is worse than I can imagine, being in the press and on social media. I can only imagine what he has been going through. The case went through stages and the case was dropped, so it's not up to me or anyone else to judge him on that."
He was asked about these comments today in the press conference as the new Ireland manager and said:
"It's always in what context the question is asked in what scenario the question is asked. I absolutely don’t approve of his actions, just to make that clear.
"The question to me was after the president of the Jamaica federation and after the general secretary, so obviously the coach got the question. The political answer was that obviously all coaches would like to have the best players available, that was kind of my answer."
"I didn’t need to take a decision on selection and it never came to that. I was trying to maybe duck the question, because answering questions like this, whatever you say will always be people supporting and against what you are saying so that was just an answer in the scenario at that time."