SFWA awards: Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou wants lessons to be learned after offensive comments | Football News

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou wants lessons to be learned from offensive comments he listened to during an after-dinner speech at the SFWA awards.

Former criminal barrister Bill Copeland has been dropped as an after-dinner speaker after he made a series of sexist, racist and homophobic jokes at the Scottish Football Writers’ awards in Glasgow on Sunday night.

Postecoglou was presented with the manager of the year award at the event before listening to the speech which also included remarks about Celtic’s Japanese footballers.

The Australian hopes lessons can be learned from the fallout as he looks at it as a “teaching moment” for everyone.

“It’s fair to say the content was probably not appropriate, to be honest I don’t think it’s appropriate at anything,” he said.

“You can treat it as a bit of controversy or you can treat it as a moment where you can be better.

“We’re constantly looking for these moments where we can all be better in terms of what we do and the way we approach things.

“We’ve got to understand there are people in that room who have different values, different views irrespective of that there’s an opportunity there to learn.

“The organisers have come out and apologised and I don’t think they did it with any harmful intent.

“If they just focus on the controversy, or put it to one side, I think there is a failure to be better the next time.

“I’m in that space where I think we shouldn’t really be having those kind of moments, I think people should already know.”

Kick It Out and Women In Football released a joint statement condemning the remarks, saying the SFWA awards night ‘should not be used as a platform to share derogatory and discriminatory comments and make those groups and communities feel excluded and insulted’.

A statement released by the SFWA on Monday said: “The Scottish Football Writers’ Association apologises to anyone offended or upset by material from one of our after-dinner speakers at last night’s annual awards dinner.

“We have agreed unanimously that this will act as a catalyst to review and improve the format of our future events to make it an enjoyable and inspirational event for all.”

Sky Sports’ Eilidh Barbour was among those who left the room during Copeland’s speech and tweeted:

“Never felt so unwelcome in the industry I work in than sitting at the Scottish Football Writers Awards. A huge reminder there is still so much to do in making our game an equal place.”

LGBT charity Stonewall has also spoken out after the incident, with director of programmes Liz Ward sharing her disappointment with Sky Sports News.

“It is a real shame that these views are still prevalent in our society, especially in a place that should be about the amazing work being done across Scottish football.

“Unfortunately I think comments around homophobic can often go hand in hand with racist and sexist comment.

“Our lives are not a joke. Banter is not banter, it provides a basis of hate and fear that leads to far more serious things.

“It’s a real shame that this has happened.”

Bill Copeland has been removed from the roster of talent agency XSP Entertainments and his profile page has been removed from their website.

Sky Sports News have contacted him for comment.