Manager Gary Neville has dismissed as “nonsense” Chelsea’s complaints about their pre-match huddle being disrupted against Newcastle. The Blues tried to gather all their players in the center circle before kick-off on Saturday, only to have their strategy thwarted by referee Paul Tierney.
The umpire had been stationed in the same spot before the match but refused to move. Former Manchester United star Neville gave his opinion, insisting the gesture was merely theatrical anyway. “I thought it was very strange. Really strange,” Neville said. “I was never a crowd fan.
“If you’ve been preparing for seven months of the season, four days before the game, and then 10 seconds before kick-off you have to talk and huddle to motivate each other, then you’ve done something wrong in your preparation.
“In my opinion, no words can help. No words can help a few seconds before a football match. You have prepared everything. You have analyzed the opponent’s players. If you are an attacking player, you know how to create chances.”
“You’re in the changing room 10 minutes before you’re sent off. You’ve said everything. What more can you say when you’re gathered on the pitch? It’s just for show.
“The fans won’t be fooled by that. They will judge you based on your performance.
“It doesn’t threaten a good team. It didn’t threaten Newcastle. It’s strange to do that in the middle of the pitch. It’s like, ‘What’s the weirdest thing we can do to make people believe we have team spirit?’
“I think that’s nonsense. The whole thing is nonsense. Please stop it.”
“I’m just trying to talk to the refs and try to understand why it happened today. The rulebook says timing is key. Timing can get you where you want.”
“I just want to find a solution to this problem, because in reality we are talking about things that are not as important as what is happening on the pitch.”
