West Ham striker Michail Antonio has labelled Manchester United legend Roy Keane’s criticism of current footballers hosting podcasts as a “dinosaur mentality”.
Without directly mentioning any player, football pundit Keane told the Stick To Football, external podcast: “I think that [podcasts] can be a distraction for a player, particularly if you’re on the back of a defeat, and you’re in the next day and everyone is having a bit of a laugh.
“I don’t think you should laugh for a week or two if you’ve been beaten.”
Antonio has co-hosted the BBC Sounds Footballer’s Football Podcast since December 2021 – initially with Newcastle forward Callum Wilson and now with Fulham captain Tom Cairney.
The 34-year-old gives insight into the world of top-level football from a player’s point of view.
Antonio responded in the latest episode to 52-year-old Keane’s remarks.
He said: “It’s dinosaur mentality because when he [Keane] was playing, every manager, every fan, everybody, constantly said, ‘Focus on your football. Go to sleep with a football in your arms – the only thing you’re allowed to think about is football. Your wife deals with your kids, don’t play with your kids – football.’
“That’s what it was when he was playing. Obviously in time players who played with him went bankrupt because all they did think about was football and that’s all it was.
“Now, obviously footballers are focusing on their football, can do their football, but can also focus on other things: business, fashion, some are rappers now. People focus on other things.
“If I’ve got time to do this then why shouldn’t I? With the podcast I understand that if you’ve got battered on the weekend – which I did – it’s not a thing about being sad for two weeks because there’s another game coming next week. You’re meant to forget what happened on the last weekend and make it better the next week.
“That’s why a lot of players struggle with mental health problems because people are telling them they’re meant to struggle for two whole weeks because they got battered on the weekend. No, you deal with it. You are sad when you leave and for that night.
“I drove home Sunday with no music, just thinking about the game. I couldn’t think straight – I could only think about the game. I was embarrassed.”
Antonio’s co-host, Fulham’s Cairney, added: “Speaking after a defeat is difficult, it’s hard, but social media wasn’t even a thing back in his [Keane’s] day. It’s a completely new generation and you could argue players in our day are more professional than in his day.
“Imagine how many went to the pub after a game, or how many drunk. A lot of them had drinks every weekend and they retired at such an earlier age compared to players now.
“I get what he’s saying, but times have changed. It’s not easy to speak after a defeat.”
Listen to the full episode of the Footballer’s Football Podcast on BBC Sounds
