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War of Words

Gary Neville defends recent criticisms of both print journalism and 'bullying' Liverpool keeper Karius

The former Manchester United captain appeared on Sky Sports Sunday Supplement this morning.

FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED defender Gary Neville appeared on Sky Sports Sunday Supplement earlier this morning to explain recent comments he has made, both remarks on social media and criticism of players.

He labelled print journalism as “sh*t” on Twitter last month, and came on the show to defend his statements alongside some of England’s most renowned journalists.

“Twitter is not the place to articulate in 140 characters, and that’s the reason why I invited myself on,” he told host Neil Ashton, alongside Martin Samuel (Daily Mail), Henry Winter ( Daily Telegraph) and Oliver Holt (Mail on Sunday).

“There’s a quantity over quality sometimes and there’s a speed that journalists are being asked to write at and comment on things. It’s becoming less analytical in certain ways.

“Speaking to journalists, they are being asked for more content all the time and I know from my own position, if I get asked to do two or three pieces a day there will be a dilution of quality, there is more speed, more haste, less analytical content.

“My view is we are drunk with information and you are all getting tainted with the same brush in the sense that the quality stuff is getting lost in this machine gun-type approach, which is just get as much out there as you can as quickly as you can.

“I want to read a piece where I believe there’s been an element of depth to it, an understanding of knowledge of the subject where there has been some investigation or some type of deep understanding. Those pieces still occur, of course they do.

“I don’t know what it’s like for young journalists now but I can imagine a tweet goes out and someone says get something out for me in the next 15 minutes. How that can be analytical, how can that be good?

“I think the consumer is suffering, because they’re getting less quality.”

The 41-year-old went on to say that he was not generalising or criticising all journalists, but in fact the entire industry.

“The speed and quantity of the content that’s being driven out there, it’s like fast food and less good dining. Of course there’s still quality, of course there’s still good journalists and fantastic pieces of work.”

“I was not criticising journalists, it is the industry.”

The panel then went on to discuss the ex-Manchester United captain’s criticism of Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius.

“It became a big story because the player, coach and Liverpool added fuel to a fire that wasn’t there,” Neville said.

“There was fuel added to the fire continuously, which meant that the story grew and it didn’t need to. It was a story that grew and mushroomed out of nothing.

“Two weeks ago my most critical comments were about a United player and an Everton player. No one will remember what my comments were because Manchester United and Everton never reacted to it, the players never reacted to it and they were forgotten about.

“I called Fellaini pathetic and idiotic and I battered Stekelenburg for his part in Ibrahimovic’s goal. I said Karius transmits anxiety and nerves to his team-mates.

“The other two stories have disappeared to the point where you can’t even remember them, that’s how I would expect press departments of football.”

Derby County v Liverpool - EFL Cup - Third Round - iPro Stadium PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

“Young players should always do interviews and me saying, ‘stay clear of the situation’ – my advice to Karius after the article he did – and also, Phil [Neville] and Jamie Carragher said ‘shut your gob’, as players, we were more guiding him saying, ‘this is not a fight for now.”

Holt went on to say that that Neville’s comments, alongside his brother Phil and Jamie Carragher, came across as bullying and a collective ganging-up on Karius. Neville dismissed the claims.

“From my point of view, bullying young players that’s absolutely ridiculous. I was critical of David de Gea three or four years ago and he’s gone on to prove me wrong by silence and performances. There was nothing personal against Karius, it was an observation.

“From our point of view as pundits though, we did our job, we created the debate.”

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