Yes, but he’s saying it like those attacking Henderson are not already doing that. We’ve been doing it for years, that’s why the Henderson thing is so galling. Pretty much everyone calling out Henderson will have been outspoken about city and Newcastle.
But will those people be outspoken about us for taking the blood money for Henderson? Wouldn't standing tall be refusing to take it? It depends how you define exactly what is wrong, if we say it is in part these nations sportswashing their reputations with 'cleaner' national institutions, then englands greatest club selling them our most successful english club captain in well over 45 yrs+ would directly help their aim.
I'm not convinced this could be called standing tall, as others have put it. Of course it would potentially cost us in terms of pursuit of trophies, but (although not a perfect analogy) many are saying henderson is very rich and based on his social justice stances his should be prepared to take the "hit", shouldn't england's greatest club forgo the potential 20m and make a stance based on our values and our stance denouncing of the sportwashing invading football and tell hendo/fab they are staying, unless someone else offers 20m/40m
Easy for Hendo to wear armbands in England, very easy for us to denounce newc/psg, but then true colours are shown, when you have to pay a real price, even if it's in vain