Man United Manager Rúben Amorim Takes Aim at Piers Morgan for Criticism of Pundit Paul Merson
Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim has fired back at Piers Morgan following the TV personality’s criticism of fellow pundit Paul Merson. The highly publicized spat between Morgan, a former newspaper editor and TV host, and Merson, a former Arsenal player and current TV pundit, has been ongoing for weeks.
Morgan, never one to shy away from controversy, had taken to social media to lambast Merson’s opinions on various football topics, labeling him "a joke" and "out of his depth" in his punditry work. Amorim, clearly affable and generally spot on in his dealings with the press, took exception to Morgan’s vitriolic attacks on his colleague.
In a press conference yesterday, Amorim was asked about the ongoing spat between Morgan and Merson. His response was swift and scathing, with the Portuguese gaffer calling Morgan’s remarks "cruel" and "unfair". "To be honest, I find it quite astonishing that someone like Piers Morgan, who has no football background or understanding, feels qualified to critique Paul Merson’s opinions," Amorim said. "It’s a bit rich, to say the least. Paul has given his time to talk about the game, and he’s earned the right to express his views, just as I do. I think Piers Morgan should focus on his own TV show, which, let’s be honest, isn’t exactly a ladder to success. His opinions are, at best, grating, and at worst, insulting. I think we should all just let Paul Merson be, and let him continue to share his insights without the unnecessary scorn."
The Manchester United manager’s remarks have ruffled a few feathers in the football world, with some suggesting that Amorim’s intervention has, in fact, played into Morgan’s hands. "What Rúben Amorim is doing here is giving Piers Morgan the very publicity he craves," said one pundit. "Morgan is a master of provocation, and he knows how to get under people’s skin. By going after him, Amorim is essentially playing into his hands." Another observer noted: "This whole situation is a sideshow, to be honest. The real issue is the football, not Piers Morgan’s opinions or Paul Merson’s punditry. Let’s focus on what matters."
For his part, Merson seems to have taken Amorim’s words on board, tweeting: "Thanks for standing up for me, Rúben Amorim! Let’s just focus on the beautiful game, shall we? Ha!" Morgan, predictably, responded with his own tweets, poking fun at Amorim’s credentials: "So, @rubenamorim, the great football manager, thinks I’m ‘cruel’ and ‘unfair’? What’s next? Coming to my defence, are you? #FAKENews #FFS #FFCIA #FootballFanAtHeart #MolskiWho?" The back-and-forth has predictably dominated the headlines, as it will likely continue to do for the foreseeable future.
What remains to be seen is whether the spat will affect the Manchester United manager’s team, currently going through a bit of a rough patch in the league table. One thing is for certain – when it comes to matters of football and punditry, the gloves are off, and everyone’s fair game.
