When you get two big personalities together, interruptions are to be expected.
There was no shortage of opinions on Monday Night Football this week as, prior to Brighton’s Premier League clash with Stoke, Craig Bellamy joined Jamie Carragher to provide analysis of the weekend’s action.
Carragher and Bellamy were teammates together at Liverpool and while it’s difficult to tell how friendly the pair were at Anfield, viewers reckoned that they were ready to start scrapping on Monday evening.
Throughout the hour leading up to kick-off, Bellamy interrupted Carragher on a handful of occasions and a sense of tension began growing in the studio although, contrary to supporters’ expectations, the punditry was never close to descending into fisticuffs.
Watching #MNF is it just me or Carragher and Bellamy aren’t exactly best of friends.. it’s excellent debate though 👍
— Martin Warren (@ccfcfan) November 20, 2017
Carragher and Bellamy not exactly two peas in a pod on #MNF
— Adam Jones (@adam_joness) November 20, 2017
Anyone else get the impression Bellamy and Carragher aren’t the best of friends 🤔🤔🤔🤔#MNF
— The Jedi Gooner (@TheJediGunner) November 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/ClaretBrad/status/932695111405883392
No need for Haye v Bellew, we may have Bellamy v Carragher in a while! #MNF
— Dave Lockwood (@BDL_Fleet) November 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/Simon_PW/status/932695779923365894
One of the biggest takeaways from the opening segment of the show, apart from the vibe between Carragher and Bellamy, was the former defender’s opinion on Everton’s reported interest in Burnley boss Sean Dyche.
While Carragher remains a huge fan of Dyche’s work, he understands the reluctance of bigger clubs to appoint a manager with a reputation for long-ball football.
“The results Sean Dyche has got since he went to Burnley, I don’t think any manager in world football could get them higher, considering the money spent by the club, where they’re actually part of a top seven,” Carragher said.
“The job he has done is unbelievable. I’m not criticising his style of play, but there’s no doubt that top teams are put off if a manager gets a tag for playing direct football, no matter how good a job he does. Everton should be bursting his door down (to get him), but they’re not.
#MNF make up room! pic.twitter.com/GWCiofH5mN
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) November 20, 2017
“I go back to Roberto Martinez getting the Everton job. This was a side who were fifth at the time. David Moyes had just gone, Wigan had been relegated. He got the job for the way his teams played. He was also interviewed for the Liverpool job. Brendan Rodgers the same summer gets the Liverpool job because of the way he played.
“If you compare the three managers, there’s nothing in it. The percentage of wins is exactly the same. So why will Dyche not get that job? Any coach going into the game, how do you stay in the game as a manager and not lose your first job? You’ve got to get results and survive.
“You’ve got to decide how you do that, and sometimes you have to be pragmatic. But if you get that tag of being a direct manager, you’re going to struggle to get the top jobs. There’s a fine balancing act between getting results and not getting that tag.”
