Real Salt Lake Leader Nedum Onuoha Talks Publicly For The First Time Since Owners Comments

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Nedum Onuoha has spoken for the first time since Real Salt Lake owner, Dell Loy Hansen, expressed his disappointment that the match against LAFC did not happen last night.

Onuoha Speaks

“I don’t want to be here because I’m not here to play for someone who isn’t here to support us,” Onuoha told BBC.

"I don't want to be here because I'm not here to play for someone who isn't here to support us"

Real Salt Lake defender Nedum Onuoha has expressed his anger at the club's owner after he failed to back their protest over the Jacob Blake shooting.
👉 https://t.co/31XAXzXzjY pic.twitter.com/4CLP9zS2oe

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 27, 2020

“We are trying to create a bigger conversation but a lot of the people who are in power don’t empathize or sympathize or do anything. They are more concerned with themselves.”

“It didn’t feel right to be playing a game when people are trying to highlight a big conversation and things that are bigger than sport,” the 33-year-old said.

“I was brought to tears this morning as I was listening to stories of what has happened over the last few days and knowing the owner isn’t in agreement and now seeing this stuff here.

“These are cries for help and for people at the very top to get behind us because that is where the biggest change can come, but we are being left and being criticized.

“If you want to make a stance, the pushback is massive and MLS players don’t earn enough money to feel that they have enough value to have an opinion and to be able to make change.”

Hansen’s Comments

The remarks from Onuoha come following a live interview with a local Salt Lake City radio station this morning. During the interview, Hansen reiterated how “disappointed” he was and how the players “didn’t support our local community.”

Hansen continued to state that “it’s taken a lot of wind out of my sails on how much I want to invest in the team.”

The NBA catapulted other leagues around the nation to cancel games following the Milwaukee Bucks decision to not leave their locker room in a show of solidarity towards Jacob Blake.

Nedum Onuoha is currently in the last year of his contract. It is unknown as to whether or not the 33-year-old will be with the club in 2021.

@spidadmitchell, I think we might have some things to talk about. Let me know if you have a minute.

— Kickback with Nedum (@kickback_nedum) August 27, 2020

Jacob Blake

On Sunday evening in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Jacob Blake went around the front of a gray SUV with two police officers following behind him. When Blake entered the driver side of the car and opened the door, video shows the nearest officer grabbing Blake’s tank top and seven shots were fired. According to Blake’s attorney, his three children were in the car.

Blake was taken to the hospital where he is currently in stable condition in an intensive care unit, according to his attorney.

Blake was allegedly breaking up a fight between two women that had the police called to the home where Blake was at when he was shot.