Yeah, they might earn more in an afternoon than most of us do in a year, but football pundits don’t half come in for some stick.
Even though they’ve played the game professionally and are therefore more qualified than most of us to give their insight into the key events of a televised game, that’s still not enough to stop some football supporters from pouncing on their every mistake.
This weekend, that’s something that Phil Neville, bless him, knows all too well.
On Saturday night, the former Manchester United and Everton player appeared on Match of the Day to help with their analysis. Looking specifically at the performance of Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier in the victory over Watford, his use of the (completely made-up) word ‘squozen’ was enough to make his name trend on Twitter…
https://twitter.com/artofdefending/status/850827136176975873
https://twitter.com/Soz_abar_me/status/850827205005516801
Phil Neville just said "Squozen" as in the past tense of "to squeeze" on #MOTD How does this half-wit get a job on TV? #thickfucker
— 🖐️Klopptimistic!👆 (@spooks34) April 8, 2017
Poor Phil.
Hours later, he was back on pundit duty for the game between Sunderland and Manchester United at the Stadium of Light.
Towards the end of the first half, referee Craig Pawson deemd Sebastian Larsson’s challenge on Ander Herrera as being worthy of a red card – a decision many watching the game believed was slightly harsh.
Trying to convey the sense that he felt the tackle was worthy of something in between a yellow and a red, Phil found a novel way to put across his opinion…
“I still think… for me, it’s an orange card.”
As you can probably imagine, social media’s many, many football experts were straight on it…
https://twitter.com/PogbaLegacy/status/851065698264731649
https://twitter.com/Paul_Burrows1/status/851066008207073280
'It's an orange card for me' – cheers Phil, because that's a thing. What're pundits there for if they're just gonna sit on the fence?
— RoversTweet (@RoversTweet) April 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/carl_brady/status/851065688647249921
With loads of Twitter accounts with the word ‘bible’ in their name inevitably quick to pull out their go-to Jack Wilshere OK MATE memes.
Phil Neville: "Sebastian Larsson's tackle was an orange card." pic.twitter.com/r3OttP7wBh
— EPL Bible (@EPLBible) April 9, 2017
It was even enough for people like Adam to start calling him a ‘twat’, which is very harsh.
Phil Neville 'its an orange card for me' what's this guy talking about he ain't got a clue. didn't no there was an orange card Phil? U twat😂
— Adam (@adam_22watts) April 9, 2017
We know what you were trying to say, Phil.
