Football Agent Rob Segal has explained how media departments at football clubs are controlling the game.
In the modern world we live in, footballers have their lives swamped by social media, interviews, fan encounters being filmed, and many more technology-driven situations. Football clubs feel under pressure to protect their players, and media departments are starting to control the game, according to Segal, speaking exclusively to Caught Offside.
“I can speak about Manchester United’s failings or Chelsea’s failings, or any other club’s for that matter but who really controls football? Who controls the perception of football? – I think it is the head of media departments at these football clubs. They’re the ones who have alienated the truth from their fans,” said Segal.
Players now are heavily media trained and often don’t even run their own social media accounts. The media departments are extremely cautious in what they allow players to say, do, or post into the public domain.
This can mean we’re not hearing the full truth or opinion of any footballer, as the media departments are controlling what we see from day-to-day. This can cause difficult situations, where players are advised to stay away from social media, for example, after a defeat, to avoid confrontation with fans.
A lot of fans want the players to be open, honest, and upfront, rather than hiding away from their mistakes.
Social media is one of the most powerful tools in the world, so you can understand football clubs trying to use it to their advantage. However, it creates a disingenuous space where fans aren’t getting the real story from players.
Interestingly, Segal has explained who the first club were, to start controlling every move a player makes.
“The first club that tried to control every breath their players took was Arsenal. These are the people who are responsible for taking football away from the fans,” added Segal.
Long gone are the days where a player could do a post-match interview and fully express their opinions. There’s the odd exception, of course, but the majority of interviews are very predictable.
Due to the media training, players often produce the same answers as their colleagues. No opinions, no variation, and plenty of clichés.