Jamie Carragher sorry for ‘clumsy’ Villa comments after threat of legal action
The player-turned-pundit used the “wrong language” when speaking about the club on the Stick to Football podcast.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has apologised to Aston Villa for using “clumsy and wrong” language when discussing the club.
On Friday Villa announced plans to take legal action against the 48-year-old for his “unacceptable insults” after the player-turned-pundit told the Stick to Football podcast fans should “shut the f*** up” after facing criticism for suggesting Unai Emery should consider taking the Manchester United job.
“I’d like to apologise to Aston Villa, the owners and their fans. My language this week was clumsy and wrong,” Carragher wrote on X.
“I can assure Villa fans it was tongue in cheek but I can understand it’s not come across that way, so apologies. Good luck today UTV!”
Villa’s announcement of their intention to take action against Carragher was signed by chairman Nassef Sawiris.
A statement said “Aston Villa will not allow anyone to stop our ascension in English and European football. Nassef Sawiris, chairman.”
However, Richard Cramer, a sports and media lawyer at Leeds-based Arch Law, expressed doubted the club had much of a case.
“While the prospect of legal action may generate headlines, the legal reality is considerably more difficult,” he told the Press Association.
“If Aston Villa were to pursue a defamation claim, they would need to demonstrate that Jamie Carragher’s comments caused, or were likely to cause, serious harm to the club’s reputation.
“That is a high bar, particularly for a globally recognised Premier League club.
“Football punditry is built on opinion, speculation and robust debate, and the law provides significant protection for honestly held views on matters of public interest.
“If clubs began litigating every time a commentator made an unpopular remark, it would risk creating a chilling effect on football journalism and open the floodgates to similar claims.
“On the face of it, any legal claim arising from comments of this nature would appear to face significant hurdles.”
Former Liverpool defender Carragher made his remarks on the Stick to Football podcast while discussing the prospect of Emery replacing Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.
The 48-year-old Sky Sports pundit argued there was a hierarchy in football, saying “Aston Villa will never be Man United”.
“I’m not trying to annoy Villa fans but there is a chain in football, whether you like it or not,” said Carragher.
“So Real Madrid will take Man United’s best player, they’ll take (Cristiano) Ronaldo. There’s very few above United, the same with Liverpool.
“But there will be teams below Aston Villa and they (Villa) will take their manager or they will take their players, so shut the f*** up Villa fans. Aston Villa will never be Man United.”