Spain coach Luis Aragones has caused a media storm after allegedly making racist remarks about Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.
Aragones was apparently trying to motivate Henry's Arsenal team-mate Jose Reyes during a training session ahead of Spain's World Cup qualifier against Belgium when the incident occurred.
He approached Reyes and shouted in his face: "Some players have to see things more clearly. Tell that black s*** that you are better than him. Tell him from me. You're the best."
The comments from Aragones were captured by cameras from TV station Antenna 3 and broadcast in their afternoon news slot.
The 66-year-old coach later played down the incident. He said it had been a joke aimed at psyching up Reyes.
"I am a citizen of the world," Aragones told Radio Marca. "Some of my best friends are black, including those I had from childhood. The fact that I made a joke in order to motivate a player has nothing to do with being racist. I'm not a racist."
Reyes also said Aragones's comments were made in jest.
"He was just having a bit of a laugh and it was nothing important," the Arsenal forward told a news conference after the session."
Aragones is the most experienced coach in Spain, having sat in the dug out for 757 first division matches over a 30-year period.
Filed by Barry McEneaney
