Too soon, Jake. Too soon.
Jake Humphrey likes to engage in “banter” with the pundits in the BT Sports studio.
However, on-air at least, they rarely take the bait. Particularly Paul Scholes.
Scholes not putting up with Jake Humphrey’s shite ??? pic.twitter.com/KYc1YgyoSJ
— Will (@Will_Heane) December 8, 2016
Scholes really doesn’t seem to have any time for banter with the BT presenter.
So, is that a yes or a no?? #FACup #Scholes pic.twitter.com/eJ7S98wlhI
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) December 4, 2015
But, Scholes wasn’t on punditry duty for BT’s coverage of Manchester City’s game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Maybe Steven Gerrard, another midfield legend of the Premier League, would indulge Humphrey and engage in some banter?
Maybe not.
Following the 2-2 draw between City and Spurs, Humphrey asked Gerrard if Premier League leaders Chelsea “have a slip in them.”
Out of all the phrases Humphrey could have used, he reached for this extremely loaded term.
It hasn’t even been three years since Gerrard lost his footing in a game against Chelsea at Anfield.
Liverpool were going for their first league title in 24-years. If they avoided defeat against Jose Mourinho’s team, and won the rest of their games, they would be champions.
Then, just before half-time, Gerrard slipped, and the pass meant for him ended-up at Demba Ba’s feet. The striker scored, Chelsea won the game and City won the league.
Gerrard cried and he has never been allowed forget the moment.
“I hadn’t cried for years but, on the way home, I couldn’t stop,” Gerrard wrote in his autobiography.
“The tears kept coming. I can’t even tell you if the streets were thick with traffic or as empty as I was on the inside. It was killing me.
“I felt numb, like I had lost someone in my family. It was as if my whole quarter of a century at this football club poured out of me. I did not even try to stem the silent tears as the events of the afternoon played over and over again in my head.”
It’s evidently still a touchy subject for the recently-retired midfielder, who has taken-up a coaching role at Liverpool’s academy.
He was having none of Humphrey’s attempt at banter.
Either was Richard Dunne or Harry Redknapp, the other studio pundits. It made for a very awkward moment of television.
"Talking of slips" – Steven Gerrard says Chelsea are 'massive favorites' for the #PL but anything can happen #MCITOT https://t.co/wTavlylmXj
— eir Sport (@eirSport) January 21, 2017
