Aston Villa to Sue Jamie Carragher After Man Utd Podcast Row
(MENAFN) Aston Villa said Friday it is preparing legal action against ex-Liverpool defender and television pundit Jamie Carragher over remarks the club called “unacceptable insults.”
Club chairman Nassef Sawiris announced the move in a statement published on X. “Aston Villa will initiate legal action against Jamie Carragher for his unacceptable insults about the Club and its fans,” he said. He added: “Aston Villa will not allow anyone to stop our ascension in English and European football.”
The dispute traces back to an appearance by Carragher on the Stick to Football podcast. There, he floated the idea that Villa boss Unai Emery could be a contender to succeed Michael Carrick as Manchester United head coach.
Carrick is under mounting pressure at Old Trafford. United have gone eight matches without a win in all competitions, and last Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth deepened the scrutiny.
Carragher, 48, who works as a pundit for a British pay-TV sports broadcaster and a US television network, argued that football runs on a pecking order in which bigger clubs can draw talent from smaller ones. “Surely he would want that opportunity to manage a giant again,” he said of Emery. “There is a chain in football, whether you like it or not,” he added.
He also told Villa fans to “shut the [expletive] up,” and declared: “Aston Villa will never be Manchester United.”
The comments drew an angry response from Villa supporters, and the club’s legal threat followed.
Carragher backtracked on Friday’s Overlap Daily program, conceding he should not have aimed his remarks at Villa fans. He also sought to clarify his view of Emery. “I think Unai Emery is the best manager in the league and if you’re Man Utd, thinking about getting a new manager, you’re probably going to go ‘what’s the best we can get?’” he said. “I’m not saying he’ll go. I’m saying if it was me, I would ask the question,” he added.
Carragher said his curiosity was whether Emery, a former Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal manager, would want another shot at one of Europe’s biggest clubs or would rather stay at Villa.
On Thursday, Carragher had already said on X that his comments were meant as a joke, noting that he had repeatedly praised Emery and the club. That clarification came before Villa announced its legal plans. He did not immediately respond to the announcement.
Club chairman Nassef Sawiris announced the move in a statement published on X. “Aston Villa will initiate legal action against Jamie Carragher for his unacceptable insults about the Club and its fans,” he said. He added: “Aston Villa will not allow anyone to stop our ascension in English and European football.”
The dispute traces back to an appearance by Carragher on the Stick to Football podcast. There, he floated the idea that Villa boss Unai Emery could be a contender to succeed Michael Carrick as Manchester United head coach.
Carrick is under mounting pressure at Old Trafford. United have gone eight matches without a win in all competitions, and last Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth deepened the scrutiny.
Carragher, 48, who works as a pundit for a British pay-TV sports broadcaster and a US television network, argued that football runs on a pecking order in which bigger clubs can draw talent from smaller ones. “Surely he would want that opportunity to manage a giant again,” he said of Emery. “There is a chain in football, whether you like it or not,” he added.
He also told Villa fans to “shut the [expletive] up,” and declared: “Aston Villa will never be Manchester United.”
The comments drew an angry response from Villa supporters, and the club’s legal threat followed.
Carragher backtracked on Friday’s Overlap Daily program, conceding he should not have aimed his remarks at Villa fans. He also sought to clarify his view of Emery. “I think Unai Emery is the best manager in the league and if you’re Man Utd, thinking about getting a new manager, you’re probably going to go ‘what’s the best we can get?’” he said. “I’m not saying he’ll go. I’m saying if it was me, I would ask the question,” he added.
Carragher said his curiosity was whether Emery, a former Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal manager, would want another shot at one of Europe’s biggest clubs or would rather stay at Villa.
On Thursday, Carragher had already said on X that his comments were meant as a joke, noting that he had repeatedly praised Emery and the club. That clarification came before Villa announced its legal plans. He did not immediately respond to the announcement.
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