PREMIER LEAGUE clubs and broadcasters want top-flight chiefs to scrap post-match interviews pitchside – before a manager or player gets attacked.
TV crews had to halt a touchline chat with Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo after their defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.
The 47-year-old was getting abused by home fans who had stayed in the stadium to celebrate their 3-1 derby win.
Interviews have been conducted outside since the return from lockdown in a bid to stop the spread of Covid germs.
It worked well when no fans were allowed at matches.
But now they are back, clubs and TV and radio channels are worried the safety of stars is under threat from supporters staying in grounds after the final whistle to watch the interviews.
So they want them to be staged inside the tunnel areas like they used to be.
There were still several hundred fans inside the Emirates when Nuno walked out to do his post-match TV interviews 15 minutes after the final whistle.
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But TV producers agreed to stop proceedings after he was taunted with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning.”
The Spurs manager went back down the tunnel before he returned later to do the interviews later after fans had been cleared from the stadium.
Other managers, including Pep Guardiola, have also refused to do interviews this season due to fear of abuse from fans.
The Premier League is aware of the concerns and have agreed to let ONE host broadcaster – either Sky or BT Sports conduct an interview in the tunnel from this weekend.
But there were 18 broadcasters at the Emirates on Sunday so that means players and bosses will again have to run the gauntlet on the touchline afterwards.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
