Lisandro Martinez has got the entire country talking with his post-match interview - but the forgotten element was the brilliant Gabriel Clarke probing him for the blockbuster answer
Gabriel Clarke showed why he is rightly lauded as one of the best in business
Gabriel Clarke showed why he is rightly lauded as one of the best in business
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There is a real art to a post-match interview.
And Gabriel Clarke is a master of his craft. Of course Lisandro Martinez was ready and willing with his words and message to the Manchester United hierarchy.
It was an incredibly powerful interview with Martinez saying he “expects more from the top” to deliver “more players to compete.” It could not have been more clear. He lambasted United’s lack of ambition.
And it has got us all talking. I cannot believe there are some people in the media - largely ex-players but staggeringly not all - actually questioning whether he should have spoken out.
Honestly, remember you are part of the media now. That’s absolutely fine to think like that. But, come on, remember what world you are in.
Martinez was fascinating. As Clarke was winding up his interview on Amazon Prime, Martinez stepped back in just to make sure.
“Tonight it’s easy to say the coach, easy to say the players, but we also have to see the others, eh,” he said. Does anyone really disagree? Manchester United are in a sorry state.
What makes Clarke so good - and he has been doing this for years for ITV and now Amazon as well as being a first-class documentary film maker - is that he listens to the answers, spots the “line” and asks great questions.
Lisandro Martinez speaks to Amazon Prime Video
Lisandro Martinez took aim at the Manchester United board in a bombshell interview(Image: Amazon Prime Video)
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So many don’t listen and fail to follow up. It’s the most common mistake. Even I get frustrated when people in our industry talk about “the quotes” as if they magically appear. The best answers come from good questions.
We are all talking about Martinez today because it was such a good interview. And, let’s be clear, there are some really good post-match interviewers out there. It’s a really good standard at the moment, in my opinion. The best all listen, all let the interviewee talk and are well prepared.
This was not your typical post-match interview. Far from it. Clubs are contractually obliged to put forward the manager and players as part of their TV contracts both in the Champions League and Premier League.
Some of the demands are staggering. Huge numbers of interviews, same questions and same answers. There is the main post-match press conference and the TV interviews are often conducted in what is known as the flash area.
Players also walk through the mixed zone area where more post-match interviews are conducted with TV, rights-holders, non rights-holders and written media.
Mohamed Salah speaking to the press in the mixed zone of Elland Road after Liverpool drew 3-3 with Leeds United
Mohamed Salah's mixed zone interview in 2025 went viral around the world(Image: Viaplay)
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It can obviously sometimes be a bit of nightmare for press officers who often accompany players through the mixed zone areas (not always, I hasten to add) when they go off script. Press officers rarely step in, to be fair.
Down the years, there have been some memorable stand-offs. One former England player getting so wound up with one journalist, the stand-up row quickly escalated further…
The time England players initiated a media boycott in Poland in September 2004 because they thought the criticism was over the top. They made a point of refusing to speak in the mixed zone. There were some pretty high-profile media pundits in that squad…
Only last season, former Liverpool star Mo Salah, accused the club of “throwing him under the bus.” It was a blockbuster interview which went round the globe.
It doesn’t happen if journos are not there, by the way. It was filmed, a press officer was behind and, quite understandably, looked a bit concerned.
Way too much was made of that. What else do you expect him to do? It is obvious that he might want to alert colleagues as the manager or other players may be asked about what Salah said. Liverpool’s press operation is very good.
I will always remember Patrick Vieira speaking out after Arsenal crashed out of the Champions League in Valencia. From memory, there was only two of us, me and a great journalist, David Woods, and Vieira clearly had something to say.
“We have to finish second in the Premiership to secure our place in the Champions League next season," Vieira said. "We also have to win the Cup. That is the minimum to so when you wear the Arsenal shirt.
“But I have to be honest, even if we manage to reach these two objectives, I would qualify our season as average. In the championship we are 15 or 20 points adrift Manchester United, so for me it's really a season to be forgotten.”
Roy Keane to MUTV was a cracker. The in-house channel! Obviously it leaked out. Keane has delivered quite a few down the years. Thierry Henry was a brilliant talker.
Harry Kane speaking to reporters
Harry Kane is always willing to speak to the media
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Harry Kane is so prolific in the mixed zone. He takes his duties as England captain so seriously. So does Virgil van Dijk. They don’t have to speak - but they willingly do it. There is so much respect for them.
Football is more high profile than other sports. It is pretty common - more so in the Premier League - not to get anyone stopping.
It’s a different set-up in the Champions League where the mixed zone is a bigger part of the event and players are supposed to always walk through (many still don’t).
In other sports, it’s definitely expected. I will always remember covering athletics and Christine Ohuruogu came through the mixed zone. She had won a medal soon after being banned for missing three drugs test.
The world's media descend on Lionel Messi at the World Cup
The world's media descend on Lionel Messi at the World Cup
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You have to ask about that. It’s relevant and is part of the story. Of course it is. We’re not cheerleaders. Athletics used to be terrible for having ex-athletes who were just cheerleaders. That’s fine - but get a ticket in the stand.
Another journalist and a former athlete interrupted the interview with their harrumphing and complaints. Honestly, get another job.
Sadly, that’s why using former players or athletes for interviews does not always work. Contrast Gabriel Clarke’s post-match interview to Peter Schmeichel’s with Martinez and the ex-Manchester United keeper’s chat with Martinez feels pretty uncomfortable.
By the end, Schmeichel is even trying to talk down Martinez for being critical. “Nothing is won in October,” says Schmeichel. In fairness, the great Dane can be a pretty good pundit but this was not the time or the place. He was protecting United like he used to between the posts.
Thomas Tuchel sparred with Gabriel Clarke following England's win over Norway.
Thomas Tuchel sparred with Clarke following England's win over Norway.(Image: ITV Football)
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You cannot say that for all ex-players. It’s up to the TV companies what they do and who they use. Jan Aage Fjortoft often does very good and searching interviews. Sky and TNT often get decent stuff when former players analyse games with the manager or players. It’s different.
I really didn’t like the pile-on against Gabriel Clarke during the World Cup when he was tough with Thomas Tuchel after England’s gruelling game with Norway. Clarke never seeks the limelight. That's refreshing in itself. I don't like it when interviewers try to make themselves the story. That's just personal preference.
Clearly, fans might not have liked that World Cup interview, the England manager might not have liked it, but for other media outlets to try and make mileage out of it was disappointing. It’s good that after the Martinez interview, he is rightly getting the praise he deserves.
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