Chelsea captain Reece James and several of his team-mates have been heavily criticised (Picture: X/Chelsea FC)
Chelsea’s first-team squad have come under fire after a video began circulating on social media showing several of Liam Rosenior’s players brazenly ignoring a group of young mascots.
The 30-second clip was first shared by Chelsea’s official page on X in the build-up to the club’s FA Cup fourth-round tie with Hull City on Friday evening.
The Blues ran out comfortable 4-0 winners on the night, with Pedro Neto completing a hat-trick and Estevao also netting against the Championship outfit at the MKM Stadium.
But three days on from Chelsea’s emphatic victory and the video in question is spreading like wildfire, for all the wrong reasons, across social media – and it’s fair to say fans aren’t impressed.
Club captain Reece James can be seen leading his players towards the away dressing room and the England international, who is wearing a pair of wireless headphones, has a look of steeliness etched across his face.
James is followed close behind by the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap, Robert Sanchez, Andrey Santos, Estevao and Joao Pedro – but not one of Rosenior’s players even looks up to acknowledge a group of Hull mascots stood excitedly to their right.
At one point, Delap appears to be heading in their direction, with one of the youngsters seen bouncing up and down and smiling from ear to ear, only for the Chelsea striker to completely disregard the group and hug a female Hull City employee instead.
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‘Dear Chelsea – teach your overpaid men-children to at least wave at the kids as they walk by and grow a personality,’ one fan wrote in response.
Another supporter replied: ‘That’s a terrible look. Not one Chelsea player acknowledging or high-fiving the mascots. Who stole the soul?’
A third said: ‘Kids literally shaking to see these lot and no one cares [crying emoji]’
Another user of X shared a short clip – with the caption ‘compare and contrast’ – showing a younger Jose Mourinho taking the time to high-five and share a joke with several mascots in the tunnel during his days as Chelsea manager.
There are even calls for Chelsea to invite the group of mascots back for a match or for a visit to the club’s facilities at their training ground as a way of saying sorry.
Almost exactly two years ago, Chelsea found themselves in hot water after a mascot was left on their own during the side’s Premier League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield.
The footage also went viral on that occasion, with the youngster in question pictured wandering around the pitch aimlessly as ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ rang out on Merseyside.
And earlier this month, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle squad were heavily criticised after a young mascot was abandoned in the centre circle prior to their 4-1 defeat away to Liverpool.
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Discussing the latest instance of mascots getting ignored on talkSPORT today, host Jeff Stelling called on high-profile stars of the game to recognise their ‘responsibilities’ that fall outside of just playing football.
‘The Chelsea players do not bat an eyelid, they walk straight past! It’s not a good look is it?’ Stelling said.
‘Do they need reminding that they have some responsibilities?’
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Neto scored a hat-trick as Chelsea cruised to victory at Hull (Picture: Getty)
In response, Ally McCoist encouraged Chelsea’s players to take a look at the way Jack Grealish treats young fans in similar situations.
‘It’s not a good look. Never mind not a good look, it’s not good,’ the ex-Scotland and Rangers striker said.
‘One of the best I’ve seen at it is Jack Grealish. Jack Grealish, to me, plays the game with a smile on his face, he looks as though he’s very, very thankful for the opportunity that’s been given to him.
‘I just think Grealish is brilliant and I’m not watching him all the time but any time I see him arriving at the grounds he’s always got a word for whoever it is: the guy at the front door, the kids waiting to see him.’
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Grealish was been widely praised for the way he treats young mascots and supporters (Picture: Getty)
McCoist added: ‘It costs absolutely nothing and it’s amazing… you maybe underestimate how much it means to people.
‘Imagine those kids in the playground, “So and so came over and patted me on the head!”… I’m loathed to use the words, “Wee things like that”, because wee things are actually big things in the grand scheme of things.
‘That is not a good look at all. What does it take to come out of your and give the kids a high-five on the way through? Or ask them, “How are you getting on? Are you looking forward to it? Who is your favourite player?”, I don’t know… it’s not a good look.’
Chelsea’s victory over Hull ensured they will be in the draw for the fifth round of the cup, which takes place before Macclesfield’s fourth-round clash with Brentford later this evening.
Rosenior’s men return to Premier League action at home to lowly Burnley this weekend.
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