Tuesday 20 March 2018 00:00, UK
Following Jose Mourinho's public criticism of Luke Shaw, The Debate panel discuss whether footballers are too pampered.
Mourinho substituted the 22-year-old at half-time during their 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Brighton on Saturday, and once again singled him out for criticism, saying he failed to follow his tactical instructions.
Although Jason Burt - chief football correspondent at The Telegraph - sympathised with Shaw's predicament at United, he thinks the culture within football clubs leaves footballers unable to take responsibility on a personal level with the media.
"I think players are too pampered," he told The Debate.
"There's a lack of accountability, they don't talk enough. We don't hear from them enough in the media because they are protected too much.
"I've done hundreds of player interviews and I can't think of any that have gone badly in terms of the reaction from fans. If you do a proper discussion with the player and talk about their football, it tends to go down quite well. To get that access is becoming more of an issue - I think players and clubs shy away from it. They see the worst - and fear the headlines.
"They forget it's their chance to talk and they should be more trusting."
Former England international Matthew Upson disagreed with Burt's "pampered" notion, identifying how difficult it is for young players to express themselves confidently in the media.
"I think the word 'protected' would be better than pampered - there's a big difference," Upson said.
"At a club like Manchester United the media will want to control everything going in and out. As a young player it's difficult - as you get older you can take more responsibility on how you want to be perceived."
Burt went on to say he would like to hear Shaw's side of the story from the player himself but doubts whether the club would allow him to talk.
Recently retired footballer Ryan Mason doesn't think it's a good idea for Shaw to come out and speak as it could put off potential suitors making a move for him in the summer.
"Luke Shaw's probably sitting there wishing he could come out and talk - but for his career that wouldn't do him any good," he said.
"If you're coming out criticising your manager then a football club that wants to sign Luke Shaw in the next six months isn't going to look on that positively.
"As a player your main priority is to perform on the football pitch - that's the ultimate and all you should care about. All the other stuff is irrelevant."
