Manchester United legend Gary Neville has criticised manager Ruben Amorim for claiming that pundits are influencing his players’ performances.
Amorim, whose side beat Sunderland 2-0 at the weekend, had suggested before the match that one of his biggest challenges was that players “listen to everything being said” by pundits and are affected by it.
“I get crazy about that… there is no one in the world who can read everything and listen to everything about people who understand football and not be influenced by that,” the Portuguese coach said.
Neville, however, dismissed the claim, insisting that Manchester United players must be able to withstand scrutiny.
Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he said:
“If pundits are getting in your head you shouldn’t be playing for the club, simple as that.
“Do people not remember Alan Hansen criticising us as young kids, saying ‘you can’t win anything with kids?’ That was the greatest centre back of that moment talking of us as if we were inferior. Do they not think we got criticised during our football careers?
“I’m sorry, you’re playing for Manchester United, it comes with the territory. You’ve got to step up.”
The former defender, who won multiple Premier League titles with United, added that Amorim’s approach reflects “the worst thing you can do in life.”
“I never blamed anyone else when we lost football matches. There was accountability,” Neville said.
“Why would you blame other people when you’re losing matches? That’s a pretty big problem in itself. Excuse mentality, shortcuts, blaming other people — it’s the worst thing you can do in life.
“They need to concentrate on doing their job well and winning football matches. That’s the only thing that’s going to shut people up — and they’ve not won anywhere near enough.”
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