Jamie Carragher wades into the Manchester United ‘tone deaf global tour’ Twitter spat between Gary Neville and Gary Lineker.
Carra joined in with a debate over Red Devils players partying after their Champions League exit, hitting back at Gary Lineker after the Match of the Day presenter said he had never changed his plans after a defeat.
The row started by when Gary Neville was critical of United players after they were seen at UFC, cricket and boxing events around the world following their defeat to Atletico Madrid – with the G Nev calling the footballers ‘tone deaf’.
I remember a time when United players , managers , executives wouldn’t be seen in their local Italian after a draw at home let alone getting knocked out of Europe. This last week we’ve seen a global tour of F1 , Concerts, Cricket and UFC events. This lot are Tone Deaf!
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) March 21, 2022
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick was a special guest of the West Indies cricket team in Barbados as they faced England, while Marcus Rashford was seen ringside in Dubai for the boxing and Jadon Sancho attended a Dubai party hosted by singer-songwriter Davido.
‘I remember a time when United players, managers, executives wouldn’t be seen in their local Italian after a draw at home let alone getting knocked out of Europe,’ Neville wrote on Twitter.
‘This last week we’ve seen a global tour of F1, Concerts, Cricket and UFC events. This lot are Tone Deaf!’
Lineker immediately took issue with Neville’s take, responding that top players ‘were mostly busy getting hammered down the pub without everyone being on social media to spy on them.’
True, they were mostly busy getting hammered down the pub without everyone being on social media to spy on them. https://t.co/0wvhnb8kQq
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) March 21, 2022
Lineker, who played for the likes of Tottenham, Barcelona, Everton and Leicester, also claimed that watching other sports ‘has always been a positive thing’ and that he would ‘never, ever’ change his plans after suffering a defeat as a player.
But Carragher – who likes to arguing with Sky Sports colleague Neville – decided to take his side on this occasion, admitting ‘you can’t face people’ when you have lost a game and ‘couldn’t enjoy yourself.
He then asked how Lineker never could have wanted to change his plans as a player if his team had been beaten.
‘Because you’re that disappointed with a result or your own performance that you can’t face people,’ he said on social media.
‘You couldn’t enjoy yourself as you can’t get the game out of your head. I can’t believe you’ve never felt like that or changed your plans for a night out.’
The debate has got everyone’s attention, with golfer Lee Westwood even having his say.
Westwood remembered a night out with Neville himself, writing: ‘Late 90s. Living Room. Manchester. Wednesday night. You, Me, Darren Clarke. On it. United we’re [sic] winning trophy’s. I was. Darren was.
‘Professionalism isn’t United’s problem. Talent is. Or lack of it. Too many average players. Thank god social media wasn’t around back then eh!?’
Man Utd crashed out of the FA Cup following their cupset against Middlesbrough and have time off ahead of the international break, leading to a number of players jetting off around the world.
It wasn’t just players who were seen taking time out – as boss Ralf Rangnick was spotted at the cricket in Barbados, chief Avram Glazer headed to the cricket in Dubai and then travelled to Formula One’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Neville called out Glazer’s actions on Twitter, and aimed another dig at the club’s previous attempt to form a breakaway European Super League, writing: ‘He must have stopped off on his way to Manchester for those fans meetings they promised post ESL!!
‘United go out of the Champions League and he heads to Dubai to discuss Cricket.’
Rashford flew out to Dubai alongside close friend Brandon Williams, currently out on loan at Norwich City, to see Sunny Edwards defend his IBF title.
Rashford was spotted behind the scenes chatting to American former welterweight champion Regis Prograis after his victory against rival Tyrone McKenna.
Sancho also was seen in a Dubai nightclub alongside various music artists while Jesse Lingard went to Milan to reunite with former team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Out-of-favour centre back Eric Bailly returned to one of his former sides, Espanyol.
Twitter users reacted as Jamie Carragher wades into the Twitter spat between Gary Neville and Gary Lineker…
@ParkLaneBlock40: I remember a time when ex players weren’t taking current players around the golf course with a TV crew, encouraging them to leave their club.
@sam_mayer1: These players are human beings, do you expect them to stay in their houses in isolation? Expect better from someone who was a player for all those years.
@EIIisV3: Almost as if we aren’t living in the 90s anymore.
@utdrobbo: In your time at United, nobody cared. There was very little coverage of what players did outside of scandals & drunken escapades around town. This take is tone deaf. Do better.
@pokeefe1: Didn’t have the rise of social media and camera phones as much as now. Imagine they had them at the Christmas party you arranged in 07
@Jasontmoore89: This is such a weird take. They’re allowed a social life. Wouldn’t expect anyone else to wallow in self pity when they had a bad day at work. Don’t see why there’s any issue with them getting out and doing things that don’t have any affect on their day job
@AA_utd: That’s because back in the time you’re talking about our players cared about losing, and cared about the club. To this lot it’s just another day, they couldn’t care less, they’re still getting paid, who cares about success.
@tomgoodland: What a weird take 🤣
@kabtastick: You didn’t speak up much during Ole’s reign about it
@Y11Michael: This tweet pretty much sums @GNev2up. The players have time off and they are off watching major sports events. What is wrong with that? They could be doing a lot worse: and did in days gone by
@JosipFCB93: One of your mates from the team was shagging his brother’s wife for nearly a decade but that was ok because you lot were winning. But current players can’t go to a restaurant and have life outside football. Give me a break lmao
@stuwri1: Rooney was out shagging brasses and nans, ronaldo was in Vegas being a rapist, beckham was shagging the nanny, giggs was sneaking into his brothers house to shag his wife every time he left for work to name a few, don’t tell me players now shouldn’t go the the ufc or F1 hahaha
You must be logged in to post a comment Login