Manchester City v West Ham United - Premier League - Source: Getty
Manchester City v West Ham United - Premier League - Source: Getty
Football pundit Gary Neville regrets terming former Chelsea defender David Luiz a 'PlayStation player'. He recently accepted that he crossed the line with the comments about the Brazilian, saying it was a cheap shot.
Speaking on Sky Sports' Stick To Football podcast, Neville opened up about any previous comments that he regretted making. He was quick to pick the statements he made against Luiz and also Chelsea last season, saying (via Metro):
"I can think of a couple of things. I wish I never said the David Luiz line, about him being a ‘PlayStation player’. I wish I never said ‘billion dollar bottle jobs’ about Chelsea. They’re harsh lines that stain a group of players. David Luiz never got rid of that really. It’s a cheap shot, it borders on a cheap shot. There’s not many things but those come to mind.."
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On the Chelsea comments, he added:
"I was actually going to do a roll back on my podcast, the day after, and say that I shouldn’t have probably used that word 'bottle', but when I heard that Mauricio thought the team were playing for penalties, I thought that it was the epitome of freezing."
Neville's aforementioned comments against David Luiz came in November 2011, within a year of his Chelsea move. He had said the defender was like a PlayStation player being controlled by a 10-year-old. The 'billion-dollar bottle jobs' jab at the Blues came after they lost the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool in February earlier this year.
Gary Neville has previously spoken about his comments on David Luiz and Chelsea
Gary Neville spoke about his comments on David Luiz in February earlier this year 2024 as well and admitted that he had crossed a line. He added that the comment was too personal, saying (via SportBible):
"When I think of it today, people say it’s a great line, but I don’t think of it as a great line, I don’t feel proud about it. I remember my David Luiz comment ten years ago, and I regret that because it was personal. I don’t personalize a line anymore.
"After the game I went to the producer and asked whether it was harsh, he said it might be a touch harsh, but he said, 'We’re on television, in entertainment and its one of the biggest moments this season, last minute goal', and secondly, 'Did you think they bottled it?' I said that they froze in extra time, there is no doubt that they were playing with fear and froze."
The Blues have turned things around over the last few months under new head coach Enzo Maresca. They currently sit second in the Premier League table, just two points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.