What does 'White Handerchiefs' mean?

Factual Questions
1

I play a online football game which has its own newspaper with stories about the game. One story goes like this
"White handkerchiefs for cihanns lion.

LONDON - cihanns lion has been the manager of West Ham United this season. The 35-year old manager was appointed after last season’s bad results. Cihanns lion, with just 19 matches worth of experience, cannot yet boast about a prominent career. At this point, he can only rely on his charisma when representing the club in front of the press. He is hoping West Ham United will be a step in the right direction for his career as a manager.

West Ham United is currently undergoing tough times. Manager cihanns lion’s team has to settle for a mere tenth place in the rankings. The club has a lot more potential than that, which cihanns lion himself also admitted: “I still have faith that performance will improve, I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t. But it’s up to the players to show what they’re really capable of on the field.”

I cannot work out what this expression means. Anyone can help?

2

In Spanish football, white handkerchiefs are waved as a sign of disgust (Occasionally this was done as a mark of respect, too, but this has become less common.)

The term has become a general one in the football world.

3

If you were in The States, I would take it to mean that someone was surrendering or giving up. A related expression here is to “throw in the towel”.

4

I only posting so that someone doing a search for “soccer” will find this thread.

5

As a Brit I am with UncleRojelio - the only association “white hand[k]erchief” has for me is with surrendering or giving up but **Mr. Moto’s ** explanation makes more sense in context.

6

Where I grew up West Ham Utd was the local First Division (what is now Premiership) team. I think WHU fans would have considered themselves too “hard” to go to games waving hankies.

7

per Mr. Moto, a search found this: