Tennis was a big topic of conversation on the latest episode of The Overlap.
Gary Neville and Ian Wright were left in stitches after Roy Keane teased Jill Scott about becoming Sunderland’s under-13 tennis champion.
All four pundits are currently out in Germany for this summer’s European Championship as Gareth Southgate and his England side try and lift their first piece of silverware since 1966.
Neville, Wright and Keane are working for free-to-air public broadcaster ITV, while former England international Scott is a regular on The Overlap.
On this week’s episode of the popular show, one of the big talking points was three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray and his final game at Wimbledon.
Keane, meanwhile, was far from sympathetic. “Andy Murray retiring from tennis isn’t sad news at all,” he said on the latest episode of Stick To Football, brought to you by Sky Bet.
“He’s 37-years-old, had a brilliant career but had plenty of injuries, so he should count his blessings that he’s had such a successful career.
“He must have been crying… although it’s okay to cry. That’s not sad news. It’s good news. He’s got a lovely family. Good luck to him.
“He had a brilliant career. They talk about him playing in a great era… we were up against the great Barcelona. He could have been with Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe!”
Image credit: Getty
The topic of conversation soon turned to Jill Scott and her childhood playing tennis in Sunderland; something that Roy Keane raised eyebrows at. Here’s how the conversation went down:
Keane: “Did you play tennis when you were a kid?”
Scott: “Yes, I was Sunderland’s under-13 champion.”
Keane: “Really? Are you telling the truth?”
Scott: “Yeah.”
Neville: “I can’t imagine there were many tennis courts in Sunderland. There were no tennis courts where I lived.”
Keane: “That’s why she’s the champion. There was no playing! Jesus.”
“Did you play tennis when you were a kid?” 🎾
Another classic Roy Keane wind-up on our resident tennis champ, Jill Scott! 🤣@itvfootball #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/7vBzrGdXTV
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) July 10, 2024
Away from the tennis and Gary Neville says attending two major sporting events made him respect football much more.
“I’ve been to two sporting events that people love, but I thought were massively disappointing and they aren’t spectator sports live,” he said.
“I went to Belfry for the Ryder Cup final day in 2013, you can’t see anything, and the other was the Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. I thought it was the worst experience, and then I had to put in earplugs because of the noise from the cars and I just didn’t enjoy it at all.”
He added: “I love golf and I do know that F1 is so popular, but going to those events made me respect football much more. When you’re watching football, you’re in the stadium, everyone is so engaged in what’s going on, and it’s an amazing sport to watch.”
Paul Scholes Was ‘The Most Overrated English Footballer Of All Time’, Says Former Prem Player (an)
The former Birmingham City player also mentioned that Scholes failed to win a single vote for the Ballon d’Or prize.
Paul Scholes has been labelled the “most overrated English footballer of all time” by former Premier League midfielder Curtis Woodhouse.
The 42-year-old, who made three appearances in England’s top flight for Birmingham City during his two-year spell at St Andrews, has been vocal about Scholes on a number of occasions down the years.
Back in 2020, he pointed out that the former Manchester United midfielder failed to make a PFA Team of the Year during his career – but he did so on two occasions.
Curtis Woodhouse in action for Birmingham City against David Beckham at Old Trafford. Image credit: Alamy
He wrote: “Scholes ran that many games for Manchester United he was never ever ever ever voted into the PFA team of the year by the players he was running games against. Just let that sink in.”
“Scholes was never ever voted into the PFA team of the year. It’s voted for by the players of every team competing in the league that year. To be respected by your fellow professionals as the best is the highest accolade.
“Steven Gerrard holds the record of being voted in 8 times.”
Image credit: Alamy
Woodhouse continued: “He had Keane next to him, Giggs and Beckham either side and Yorke and Cole up top! Oh and Rio and Vidic behind him! Paul Scholes running games is a footballing myth that’s grown and grown since he retired.”
He also claimed Scholes retired from international football at 29 years of age because “he couldn’t get a game in his preferred position” of centre midfield.
“That position was occupied by the great Steven Gerrard and the very good Frank Lampard,” he added.
The age-old ‘Gerrard, Lampard or Scholes’ debate is a popular one on social media and Woodhouse, a former British light-welterweight champion, once again voiced his opinion on the latter on Sunday.
Ballon d'Or votes
Curtis Woodhouse 0
Paul Scholes 0
Steven Gerrard 220Facts don’t care about feelings @talkSPORT
— Curtis Woodhouse BEM (@curtiswoodhous8) June 12, 2022
He mentioned the fact that Scholes failed to win a single vote for the Ballon d’Or prize throughout his career.
“Paul Scholes didn’t receive a single vote for the Ballon d’Or in his entire career,” Woodhouse tweeted. “Not one person EVER voted for him. The most overrated English footballer of all time. Please end this debate.”
Liverpool legend Gerrard, who ranked above both Frank Lampard and Scholes in the overall Ballon d’Or voting table, received 220 votes throughout his career, while former Chelsea midfielder Lampard recorded 169.
Paul Scholes didn’t receive a single vote for the Ballon d'Or in his entire career. Not one person EVER voted for him. The most overrated English footballer of all time. Please end this debate.
Kind regards
Curtis Woodhouse BEM @talkSPORT ✅— Curtis Woodhouse BEM (@curtiswoodhous8) June 12, 2022
Paul Scholes ✅ https://t.co/rdoGfbieVA
— Curtis Woodhouse BEM (@curtiswoodhous8) June 12, 2022
Woodhouse once labelled Scholes’ former teammate Ryan Giggs as “unbelievably overrated” in another social media post.
“Ryan Giggs another unbelievably overrated Manchester United player,” he wrote. “Outstanding longevity but in a team that dominated for years and were a free scoring machine his statistics for goals and assists is awful.
“Another Manchester United myth, good player, never anything more.”
Roy Keane’s X-rated text messages to Ian Wright revealed ahead of England and Slovakia clash (an)
Keane made his feelings known ahead of England vs Slovakia.
Roy Keane sent several X-rated text messages to Ian Wright about England ahead of their Euro 2024 last 16 clash against Slovakia.
Gareth Southgate’s side have so far flattered to deceive across their three performances in Germany, but still managed to top Group C.
They only scored two goals across their three games, however, with a 0-0 draw against Slovenia causing anger amongst England fans.
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The draw does mean that the Three Lions have avoided some of the tournament’s big hitters, although their route to the final could still see them having to overcome Switzerland and the Netherlands.
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What is for sure is that Southgate’s side are four knockout games away from glory – and one game away from elimination at every stage.
Some pundits have claimed that England players are ‘afraid to fail’ at Euro 2024 – which prompted Keane to begin an angry rant on WhatsApp.
The Irishman appeared on the latest episode of The Overlap’s Stick to Football in Berlin, with co-host Gary Neville reading out the details of Keane’s text argument with Wright in their group chat.
Although Neville said the messages ‘doesn’t have to make the edit’, he read out: “You brought the Euros final up, you f***ing egg [from Keane to Wright].
“All bulls**t about being afraid to fail. What bulls**t that is. England are the best at it, so they should be f**ing used to it!
“All ex-England players thinking they know about the game, when they know f**k all, and then too lazy themselves to get their coaching badges, but preach about tactics and systems and playing between the f***ing lines. It turns my f***ing stomach.”
Roy Keane’s reaction to Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick vs Slovakia has gone viral (an)
Explaining the reason behind his furious messages, Keane fired back: “You said something at the start… go back to what he said, he said something, ‘What’s that got to do with it at the Euros?’ But you brought it up!”
You can watch the full exchange below – including Wright’s comeback.
“You brought up the Euro Final, you f****** egg.”
Ever wondered what goes down in the Stick to Football group chat? 😂💬 pic.twitter.com/TkstB4txdh
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) June 29, 2024
Neville, Wright and Keane have all been working on ITV throughout Euro 2024, and will be the punditry trio for the England versus Slovakia clash on Sunday evening.
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Roy Keane and Gary Neville were speaking on The Overlap’s Stick To Football, brought to you by Sky Bet.
