Time for game to turn off Twitter

Alex Neil insists social media is now the wild west for abuse within football – and he can only see it getting worse.

The former Preston boss was disgusted to see footage of Neil Lennon at the end of a boozy night out being posted online just last week.

Neil insists invasions of privacy, as well as racial and sectarian goading, are now part of being involved in the game.

So he believes it’s time for players to disengage from social media completely.

He said: “I’ve never done the social media thing. I have a circle of friends and don’t need to be on social media to talk to them.

“And I’ve never felt a need to speak to people who I don’t know. It leaves you open to all sorts of things.

“It’s disappointing to see someone post a video of Lenny. I’m sure we have all been there before, worse for wear after a few drinks

“Unfortunately for Neil, he’s so high profile that there’s no escape in the west of Scotland – but that doesn’t make it right the video being posted.

“The first thing you assess as a manager is if something is worth getting embroiled in if there’s nothing positive to be gained.

“It’s the same with Twitter – where are the positives?

“During the pandemic so many more people are spending more time on these platforms and the abuse now has free rein.

“We talk about stamping it out but realistically there are no controls.

“Players are being racially abused week in, week out. Sectarian abuse is now par for the course.

“It’s terrible to see so

I take myself out of the equation – I’m not on it and I don’t look at it.

“I have managed players who I’ve had to support due to abuse online and I say the same thing to them. Why are you subjecting yourself to it?

“It’s a bit of an ego thing where you want to go online and see people speaking well of you.

“The simple fact is that whether you are a player or a manager, not everybody is going to like you.

“If the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo take abuse why put yourself through it?

“As long as your manager, team-mates and club feel you are doing well, that should be enough.

“The rest of it shouldn’t matter as much.”