Former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given has apologized on social media after being criticized by viewers for describing Wilfried Nancy’s time as manager at Celtic as a “total holocaust” during a live BBC broadcast. The 49-year-old’s offensive comments were made on Saturday’s edition of Final Score, which featured the former Republic of Ireland international as a pundit.
Nancy’s unsuccessful tenure at Celtic ended after just 33 days, with Given likening it to the Holocaust – the massacre of six million European Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II. BBC Sport presenter Jason Mohammed apologized for Mr Given’s choice of words.
Mohammad, the host of Final Score, first asked: “What do you think about what happened at Celtic, after Wilfied Nancy lost against Rangers, was the second half terrible?”
Given responded: “Nancy were terrible from start to finish. I don’t think Martin (O’Neill)’s short spell should have ended in the first place. It was a week between league leaders Hearts, then Roma in the Europa League and then St Mirren in the League Cup final. I think Martin should have been given at least that week.”
“Nancy took over that week and that week a complete holocaust happened. From then on it was just a nightmare. Last weekend’s loss to Rangers was the final straw, the final nail in the coffin.”
Muhammad plans to apologize at the end of the show, saying, “I may have heard some inappropriate words earlier, so I would like to apologize for any offense I may have caused.”
Given himself later apologized on social media, adding, “On a live broadcast this afternoon, I used a word that I didn’t fully understand the meaning of. I will never use it again. We all have areas of ignorance in our knowledge, and I want to use this as an opportunity to become better educated in the future.”
“I am deeply disappointed and sincerely apologize to everyone I have offended, and I will be donating the proceeds from today’s show to the Holocaust Educational Trust.”
