In his press conference today Rafa Benitez has given advice to his players that if they have social media accounts they can use them to communicate with – but not to interact with.
The main thing for footballers is to concentrate on their football and to do everything they can to improve their game and become better players.
Rafa Benitez – in training
And social media accounts have gotten players into trouble in the past – think Joey Barton – so the manager has talked about social media today.
He made the comments in the context of Matz Sels being abused by some fans on Twitter after his mini mistake for the late equalizer against Aston Villa.
This is what the manager said:
“I have a website and a Twitter account for the website.” “There is a way to deal with things. “If you need something to promote your views or image, that is fine.”
“But you cannot be interacting with everyone, because it would be impossible to manage.”
“We have to concentrate on football. If you have Twitter or another social media account, use it to communicate, but not for interaction.”
“You do not know who is behind a message, so how can you interact? It’s important the players concentrate on their football.”
“You can message someone telling them something, but who is the other person making those comments?”
“It’s better to ignore that and concentrate on your football.” “That is what you can improve.”
Ignore that, listen to your goalkeeping coach and that’s how you can improve and make yourself better.”
One of the things with social media is you can essentially become anonymous and that allows some people to say some really terrible things online.
If you look at stuff on Twitter you often wonder where all the civility has gone between people in today’s world.
But I’ll stop there.
🙂
Comments welcome.
9 comments so far
Bobbybee
Sep 27, 2016 at 2:57 PM
Comment #1Ed!!!! I’m definitely off now before the paranoia takes a grip. 🙂
firebug666
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:00 PM
Comment #2Well said Rafa!
At the end of the day abuse will always fill social media, not just directed at famous personalities either. A lot of keyboard warriors live on social media ranging from the very young to the very old, it a symptom of the times we live in, if you interact with these anti-social types they have already won, you have taken the bate. What they hate most is when you ignore them, that’s how you win.
Speaking from experience here by the way.
Essex Geordie Bill
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:00 PM
Comment #3Bobby, I’m with you, later.
Essex Geordie Bill // Sep 27, 2016 at 2:58 PM
I think the only player that I may have gone over the top with critically, was Taylor.
In retrospect I shouldn’t have but we all (to be fair) do it to some extent.
I certainly wouldn’t troll someone that is just nasty (even if I had a twitter account)
cyprus
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:10 PM
Comment #4Ed mate,
You don’t have to go look at twitter to find stuff like that. Once in a while glance down at comments at blogs (e.g. nufcblog.com), you may be shocked 🙂
barkel
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:12 PM
Comment #5Sels could be the new Srnicek (one of my favourite players) he got quite a lot of abuse for being a “dodgy ‘keeper”
hibbit
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:12 PM
Comment #6no one knows for sure these these are newcastle fans and not just some clowns jumping on the band wagon as trolls/wums do
cyprus
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:12 PM
Comment #7Sels my man, here’s my friendly tip:
Come off your fxxxxxg line man, once in a while. Please 🙂
WWSBRD
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:13 PM
Comment #8Should just do what Perez does and have a media team run an account for u
hibbit
Sep 27, 2016 at 3:15 PM
Comment #9cyprus
quite correct as you have pointed out we get are share of dickheads on here