Yahoo Sports Phil Neville: Social media abuse of managers is ‘out of control’
Inter Miami coach Phil Neville has called the social media abuse of managers get in the modern game “out of control.”
Neville’s comments come only days after former Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce spoke of the personal abuse he received during his time in charge at St James’ Park, with Arsenal chief Mikel Arteta also claiming the level of vitriol directed towards coaches would soon put people off wanting the job.
Former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also borne the brunt of criticism following his team’s loss at home to Liverpool on Sunday and brother Gary Neville talked of the messages he was sent for not calling for the Manchester United manager to be sacked.
“I’ve played in United teams that lost 5-0,” Neville told the Miami Herald.
“These things happen in football. I think the sensationalism of everything now is just out of control.
“United lost a game of football 5-0 to Liverpool. Yes, it hurt. Yes, it was probably a real sickening blow for everybody that’s played, supported, or been involved with Manchester United; but it’s not like United have never lost 5-0 ever in history.
“This has happened and United bounced back and won things. I lost at St. James’ Park 5-0. Philippe Albert chipped Peter Schmeichel and it felt no different. The only difference was there was not a billion people on Twitter thinking they knew best about this, that and the other.
“The Steve Bruce case went beyond criticism; that was a form of bullying, disgusting behaviour, trolling, some of the most disgusting things I have ever read or seen in my whole life.
“We live in an era where it’s seen as quite normal to ask people to be sacked, which I find absolutely incredible. If you were any other workplace and you walked into a shop and you said, ‘I want you to be sacked, I want you to be sacked,’ I think you would be reported to the police.
“Social media is an absolute cesspit for people that are just the lowest of the lowest.
“I think it’s out of control. People don’t probably realize that the things they are writing hurt families, hurt human beings, people that have problems in their lives, and nothing gets done about it.”
Additional reporting from Reuters
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