Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes told to apologise for ‘pathetic’ attack on Man United star Lisandro Martinez
Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes’ clash with Lisandro Martinez has become ‘too personal’ and their recent comments are ‘pathetic’.
That’s according to the panel on the latest episode of talkSPORT’s Inside Devils YouTube show, who discussed the ongoing beef.
Ahead of the Manchester derby last Saturday, ex-Manchester United midfielders Butt and Scholes joked that Erling Haaland would pick Martinez up and run with him during the game.
Haaland stands at 6ft 5′, while Martinez is only 5ft 9′ tall – but in the end, the Argentinian easily kept his opponent at bay.
The United centre-back later hit back at the comments Butt and Scholes made and called them out to say that the legends can come to visit his house if they want to talk things through.
Scholes accepted the offer on social media after Man United won the derby, but that didn’t help to dull the tension.
Butt went on to hit back with another jab at Martinez, telling him to ‘grow up’ in a long rant defending his original dig.
He also claimed that there was ‘no personal issue’ between himself, Scholes and Martinez amid the back-and-forth.
However, talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent, Alex Crook, disagrees and believes things have actually strayed too far.
Crook said in Inside Devils: “I look at the relationship between the Man United legends at the current team and legends of other clubs, and they do have a tendency to stick the boot in a lot more.
“It’s not their job to be cheerleaders…I think criticism is fair game, but sometimes things get a bit too personal.
“When you start talking about someone’s height – and he’s not really done his research as Martinez has had Haaland in his pocket in previous games too – it’s just wrong.”
What did Butt and Scholes say about Martinez?
Speaking before the Manchester derby, Butt said: “Haaland would pick Martinez up and run with him. It’ll be like, you know, when you see a dad after school running down the road with a little toddler.”
Scholes added at the time: “He’d score, then throw him in the net!”
Martinez then responded to the comments, saying: “Honestly, he [Scholes] can say whatever he wants. I told him already, if he wants to say something to me, he can come to me wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don’t care.
“I think, for me, I respect the relations when they want to help the club because everyone can talk on the television. But when you see (them) here face-to-face, no one says anything in your face.”
Following the retort, Butt told Martinez to ‘grow up’, saying: “It is tongue in cheek, and it is quite obvious that Haaland is not going to pick him up and run with him. It is f****** obvious. It is a figure of speech.
“I just think when someone gets so upset about someone in the media or on a podcast saying something about them, to come out and basically say they can say what they want and all that, f****** grow up.
“It is literally if you are going to get so emotional about someone saying something and come out and react like that, you shouldn’t be at a big football club because I am telling you now, he is going to get that for the rest of his career at Manchester United.
“You get your ups and downs and I got so much crap when I played at Man United and Newcastle, but then next week you get your plaudits and you get clapped at. There is no personal issue with us and Martinez. None.”
Manchester football correspondent for The Guardian, Jamie Jackson, then joined the conversation to echo Crook’s thoughts.
“In isolation, the image that Butt offered of Haaland picking up Martinez, it’s a funny image,” Jackson admitted.
“But they’ve got cheesed off after his reply to that, with them saying ‘grow up’ despite them mocking him.
“On the one hand, it’s like a chat with two mates down the pub…but after Martinez bites back and Butt then says ‘Grow up’…”
Podcast host Flex then intervened to say: “It’s pathetic.”
“Both of them are making a bit of a fool out of themselves,” Jackson later concluded.
‘You’re not helping this club’
talkSPORT’s Angelina Kelly then launched in a strongly worded rant towards Butt and Scholes for bringing negativity to United.
“It’s the post-Martinez response that is just pathetic, the fact they said what they said, I just think the whole thing is absolutely ridiculous,” Kelly started on Inside Devils.
“These are guys we all adored as football players, but do they not have stuff to do? I know they don’t have massive jobs, but they’ve got stuff to do. Can we just focus on that rather than hurting the club that has given you everything?
“If you want to have an opinion, have one, but to then pick up on the reply and start going in on Martinez, who handled it all well…”
She added: “You’re not helping this club, if you care about this club, doing this is not helping, being so cruel during a time where there’s so much talk about being a bit kinder to each other, showing respect.
“I just think it’s a really cheap shot from them; I thought better. To say ‘grow up’ and that he shouldn’t be a big football club: Who are you to say that? I just think it’s a cheap shot.”
Butt and Scholes should apologise
Man United legends Butt and Scholes were then scrutinised for not admitting defeat in their argument against Martinez.
Host Flex called for them to stick to tactical insight, rather than getting involved in petty clashes, saying: “The thing that people will listen to from these people is actual footballing breakdown and critique of a player.
“When Scholes or Butt are trying to say stuff like that, then it’s fair, but they’ve tried to be smart as they don’t rate the player, they’ve come with a disgusting take in isolation.
“They’re talking about the Manchester derby and their prediction for the 90 minutes was that Haaland is going to have a field day with Martinez.
“The complete opposite happened, so to simplify all of this, all they needed to do was say ‘He had a stormer’.
“But they didn’t do that and Butt said that ‘it was just a figure of speech’ – spare me, do one, just own it and say sorry.”
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