“Too many tweets make a tw*t” – On football’s new media world order

Remember The Jetsons? How it was considered a realistic representation of the future, how we all thought the future would involve driving around in hover cars with robot cleaners to do the dishes? That still might all happen, but the question I have is: where was Twitter in this utopian vision of the future? Because the social networking phenomenon that has transformed the way we interact digitally looks likely to play a part in people’s everyday lives for years to come.

In terms of modern day football it is fast becoming quite clear that Twitter has almost permanently altered the landscape of sports reporting and interaction between supporters, players and the media.

Back in early 2009, I pondered whether the microblogging site Twitter might add a new dimension to football and the media, after the Womens Professional Soccer league in the United States announced that players would tweet during games. Just under two years later the answer is becoming increasingly apparent and some of the scenarios I depicted are coming to life after recent controversies caused by a series of Twitter outbursts by high-profile Premier League players.

As more footballers sign up to the site, the number of headline-inducing incidents continues to grow. The recent spate of Twitter salvos began, coincidentally or not, with a number of Arsenal players. In December and January Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Cesc Fabregas all used Twitter to publicly air various gripes – Wilshere and Szczesny both complaining about Manchester United while Fabregas aired his frustrations about referees following a refereeing decision in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic.

While the various complaints of Arsenal players piqued interest it was Glen Johnson’s scathing comments about Paul Merson on Twitter that truly provoked reaction. Having been criticised by the former Arsenal player turned pundit on Soccer Saturday during a discussion about Liverpool, Johnson – presumably watching on at home eating toast, mobile phone to one side - hit back on Twitter by referring to Merson’s addiction to alcohol, cocaine and gambling in the 1990s.

“Comments from alcoholic drug abusers are not really gonna upset me and who is Paul Merson to judge players, he was average at the best of times,” tweeted Johnson. In comments later deleted from Twitter, the England defender added: “The only reason he’s on that show is coz he gambled all his money away. The clown!”

Johnson later deleted the comments after receiving heavy criticism on Twitter – not to mention questions about his own misdemeanours involving a toilet seat stolen from B&Q, which he also addressed on the site – but the damage was done. His comments were picked up by the national press and made headline news.

As if inspired by his Liverpool teammate, a day later Dutch international Ryan Babel then got into further Twitter-related hot water after using the site to criticise referee Howard Webb. After Liverpool’s 1-0 FA Cup 3rd round defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, Babel, upset at Webb’s decisions to hand United a penalty and send off Steven Gerrard, went on the offensive.

“And they call him one of the best referees? That’s a joke. SMH,” wrote Babel on Twitter, before posting a picture of Webb in a Manchester United shirt. Again the tweets were subsequently deleted before Babel issued an apology. An FA spokesman confirmed they would look into the incident based on Babel’s alleging referee bias.

Now aside from providing insight into how much certain players feel the need to whinge about Manchester United, what’s interesting is how the shiny veneer of media training and parroted soundbites falls apart away from the glare of press conference cameras and microphones. Using Twitter, players now have a unique channel through which to address the world directly.

The true genius of the site in this context is that because the act is made so simple – pick up your phone/computer, rant away, hit send – it grabs the player at precisely the moment when impulse outweighs clear thinking; sneaking through the door before common sense takes over from “emotional reaction” as Babel put it.

As Babel may find out should the FA issue disciplinary action, players now run the risk of getting into real trouble because of these public ‘emotional reactions’. Wishing death on your own team’s fans was another ‘emotional reaction’ from Aldershot striker Marvin Morgan after he was recently booed off the field. The cost of that 140 character misdemeanour to Morgan? Two weeks’ wages, suspension from the first team and a place on the transfer list.

Now without wanting to come across as some form of freedom of speech suppressor, should players be allowed to air their views in such a way? Is it fair game for Johnson to hit back the way he did or for Babel to accuse referees of bias using sites like Twitter? Or as professional footballers do they have a responsibility to keep their rants, moans and conspiracy theories to themselves?

Arsenal’s Szczesny has already touched upon this subject on his Twitter feed. “I find it weird that people tell me I shoudn’t share my thoughts about football on twitter just because I’m a footballer,” the goalkeeper wrote. “If someone doesn’t want to know what I think about football then go and follow Katie Price.” Is he right?

Mick McCarthy’s views on the matter are already abundantly clear. “They should call it Twatter – and anyone on it should be renamed!” the Wolves manager suggested. “Too many tweets make a twat.”

The sheer number of deleted comments from Twitter by players implies that either common sense eventually prevails and the implications of such comments are realised or club officials are having to make a lot of frantic behind the scenes phone calls after the event. Either way such backtracking is merely shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. This is the internet after all.

Should players have free reign to say what they like on social networking sites like Twitter? Or, in light of the recent spate of comments, do they need to be a little bit more responsible regarding what they tweet? I’m interested to hear people’s thoughts on this matter so please leave your comments below and vote in the following poll:

Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas, Glen Johnson, Howard Webb, Liverpool, Ryan Babel, The Media, Wojciech Szczesny