Former West Ham striker Carlton Cole apologises for Holocaust analogy

Cole was speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live

Former West Ham and England striker Carlton Cole has apologised after he made comments comparing the possibility of a heavy West Ham defeat by Manchester City to “a Holocaust”.

The 38-year-old made the comment on BBC Radio 5 Live prior to Sunday’s Premier League clash at the Etihad.

He was asked if West Ham manager David Moyes had selected a defensive side against City, to which Cole replied: “You can say he has gone a bit negative. Why not?

“You’ve got to give Man City some respect otherwise you’re going to get picked off.

“Otherwise it will be a Holocaust and you don’t want that.”

Cole later apologised for his remarks on the same show, which came on the first day of the Jewish festival Hanukkah.

“I’d like to apologise to the listeners for a totally unacceptable phrase that I used earlier,” he said.

“I’m sorry if I’ve offended anybody, really and truly. Sorry.”

WTF. Just heard heard Carlton Cole (I think) suggest West Ham could face a ‘Holocaust’ if they don’t perform against Man City. #5LiveSport No one yet pulling him up over inappropriate use of word…

— lee harpin (@lmharpin) November 28, 2021

The Holocaust – which carried out by Nazi Germany during World War Two – took the lives of an estimated six million Jews.

In October, Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton apologised after he compared an underwhelming performance from his League Two side to the Holocaust.

Barton spoke after his Rovers team were beaten 3-1 by Newport County and when assessing what he saw in his post-match press conference, said to the media: “I said to the lads during the week, ‘the team’s almost like musical chairs’.