Wrighty’s Message to Jude, Player Portrayals in the Media, Scotland & Ireland Reaction, Liverpool’s Dip in Form and More with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, and Wayne Rooney.
Scotland celebrate a dramatic World Cup qualification, Ireland keep their hopes alive, and England’s evolving identity under Thomas Tuchel comes under the spotlight. Plus, Wrighty’s powerful words on media responsibility, a huge Premier League weekend ahead, Gary’s contract deep-dive, and the fallout from Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua.
00:00 – Intro
05:15 – Promo
06:15 – Liverpool’s poor start
11:39 – Scotland & Ireland
18:02 – England’s World Cup Chances
32:37 – Ian Wright on Jude Bellingham
47:45 – Modern Punditry
55:59 – Super 6
1:05:58 – Gary’s United Contracts revealed
1:25:27 – Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul
Ian Wright, Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville on the Jude Bellingham media controversy and the treatment of players in the media…
Ian Wright said, “His parents have kept him away from the Premier League [kept him away from the journalists]. They can’t get to him through his club. They cannot get to this guy. And this is somebody who is very much an achiever. He goes out, he’s a winner. He wants to do it. He wins. What they said about Jude not celebrating, that was complete fabrication – a lie.
‘‘So what they’re trying to do, they’re trying to build something because England have qualified so, so easy. They’ve not conceded any goals. They’ve won all the games easy. So they need to have something else to pile on top of the narrative. I’m worried for Jude simply because he’s somebody that they can’t control. You can’t control him. Obviously, coming off of the World Cup and what he’s done, he’s showing people that, you know, I’m here, I’m Black, I’m proud, I’m ready to go. All that vibe is something that certain man can’t deal with.’’
‘‘I don’t think, as Englishmen – I’m an Englishman – I don’t think they’re ready for a Black superstar like that who can move like Jude’s moving. They can’t touch him. If you get Pogba or a Bellingham and you get that kind of energy, that does not sit well with certain people. For some reason he frightens these people because of his capability and the inspiration he can give. It’s something that you’re taught as a Black man, you just want to try and do the best you can and keep your head down and be, for want of a better [word], a humble fucking slave. This is dragging up from that kind of energy. Because if you are outspoken, Black, and playing to that kind of level and not caring – that frightens certain people.’’
‘‘As soon as I sent a message to Jude saying, listen my friend, be ready… he said, ready for what? And I said, listen, it’s coming, and I’m here. I’m going to be here. I’m going to make sure I’m on this side.”
Jamie Carragher continued, “When I read reports about Bellingham – sort of how he’s perceived or how he’s supposed to be around the camp – he is completely different when I see him face to face. He speaks to me, he asked me about my son, how he was doing, he knows where he’s playing, how he’s doing. He’d have a laugh, a joke, and he looks genuinely interested in speaking to you. So you read things [in the media], and that probably does influence people, doesn’t it? We know how powerful the press is and we’re part of the media as well, we shouldn’t forget that. But he is completely different to what I read about him – one hundred percent. He is an absolute diamond.”
Gary Neville commented, “A personal experience – and I’ve spoken about this – in 2016, Raheem Sterling came to see me in the tournament and said that he felt as though he was being persecuted, that it was unfair, and it was basically not relating to football. I remember at the time giving him a completely and utterly inadequate answer. I said, look, Raheem, it’s because of your quality and who you are and what you are that they’re criticising you. I remember they did this with Wayne Rooney; they did this with David Beckham, they did this with Paul Gascoigne – the best players, the biggest names. But actually what I didn’t read at the time, and what he was crying out and asking me for help for, was around the fact that this wasn’t relating to his football performances. It was more around the colour of his skin, and this persecution around how if he had a car that was this, and another player who was white had a car that was this, there was a difference in reporting of it. He was really low; he had nowhere to go. And I’ve not got the ability, the education, or the understanding to be able to give him the answers he needed. It only hit me a year later when I saw articles side by side, articles about Raheem with a car, house, jewellery, a watch, and then articles about a white player, and the difference. You could see this complete and utter bias. Right now, I get what he means. And that’s something I can see at the moment it’s happening with Jude Bellingham.”
Jamie Carragher on Liverpool’s poor start…
‘‘There’s probably so many things. Was Salah ever going to have the same season? Konate’s fell off a cliff. MacAllister’s never been 100% fit. I think there’s lots of little things. But if we’re being totally honest, when you look at the games they’ve lost, they can’t handle the physicality of the Premier League.’’
‘‘When you listen to Slot talk about Liverpool last season, even though they won the league, he always talks after about how every game went down to the wire. They only won by the odd goal. He almost wanted to have more football, more goals, more entertainment. When you hear him speak about Paris Saint-Germain last season, it’s like, oh my God, that’s the football I want. That’s amazing. In the Premier League he’s trying to push Liverpool even more that way, but I think the Premier League is actually probably gone back in terms of physicality. So his team’s probably a little bit weaker. In the Premier League now everyone’s just giant, set pieces, long throws and the team can’t cope.’’
‘‘I don’t think this group of players is equipped to win the league this year. You look at the difference in the Champions League, and they look fine. All of Wirtz’s best games have been in the Champions League. I think they’ll have to recruit more physical players. I’ve just seen the Semenyo link come up, when you look at him as a player lightning quick, big, powerful – Liverpool don’t have a lot of pace when you think of the wide areas, Salah’s not a flying machine, Gakpo’s not really, but I just think maybe more physicality in the team, more pace, more power.’’
Panel’s thoughts on Harry Kane…
Gary Neville said, “He’s fierce, he’s got a massively fierce determination. When he played for England when I was there, he was not the football player that he is now. I mean, the football player he is now, he’s evolved in the last eight or nine years.
Wayne Rooney said, “I think just the goals he’s scored and, as you said then, his performances… he’ll go on and get the caps record as well. I just think how he’s evolved as a player is incredible. He reminds me of Cristiano when he was younger, and sometimes he’s at a hard angle and he’s shooting and you’re like, what are you doing shooting? You might pass it, but he doesn’t. As you said then, it doesn’t bother him. He’ll try it again. He’ll keep going – both right and left foot. And I just think for me, he’s England’s best player.”
Roy Keane on Ireland’s recent win and celebration at full time…
“To get the win in Hungary, last kick of the game, I wouldn’t begrudge them at that moment. These teams have been struggling for so many years to get a bit of a lift for the country, and to get two back-to-back big wins – to beat Portugal was obviously huge, and then to go and beat Hungary and knock them out. If you can’t enjoy them moments… I think the Irish fans and the players and the manager, I wouldn’t begrudge them it, honestly. I honestly was delighted with them. The whole country needed that lift.”
Wayne Rooney on England scrutiny…
“Obviously, a lot of mine was again because I was controversial and with things that were done, probably more off the pitch than on the pitch. And I’ve spoken about it. It was almost like you were getting bullied and there’s not much you can do about it. You think more about your family than you do yourself. Your parents and your family back home. When I was on the pitch that’s where I just felt at ease. Felt safe. That was the easy part, the games were the easy part. But dealing with it and the constant judgment of you, that was tough.”
Panellists on modern day punditry…
Roy Keane said,“I think as pundits, if we do cross the line and you do think you’re affecting a player and you’ve gone overboard, then you do apologise to a player. On a matchday you get emotional, sometimes you do get carried away and frustrated with the player. I might be frustrated with Maguire, but it doesn’t mean I don’t think he’s a bloody good lad or a decent kid. And if you do get a chance, then you apologise. I got it wrong.”
Ian Wright continued,“I don’t think we need to go for the individual. You should be able to be critiqued about your play, but it should never ever go personal or go behind the scenes into people’s lives. Never, ever as a pundit. I just feel that with social media… it’s all about criticising the players, what they’ve done wrong, and how bad they’ve been, and they garner so much attention through the negative.”
Wayne Rooney on the recent Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul fight announcement…
‘‘If it’s not fixed, then it’s ridiculous. I don’t know how it’s been passed. He shouldn’t be in there with him. It’s crazy. Everything about the fight is just wrong. Listen, I don’t blame Anthony Joshua, I think come get your money. There’s different levels to boxing. To go and fight Anthony Joshua, it’s dangerous. I felt if something happens to Jake Paul, there’s going to be serious questions. Boxing would be in a bad place.”
Stick to Football is brought to you by Arne Clothing – to watch the full podcast episode with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney, and Ian Wright please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4MopdT8fmg