Michael Stewart, a former Manchester United midfielder, is worried about losing his BBC punditry role after facing disciplinary action from the Scottish Football Association (SFA) over controversial comments.
Career and Controversy
Stewart made seven senior appearances for Manchester United before leaving in 2005. He later played for Hearts, Nottingham Forest, and Charlton Athletic, retiring in 2011. Since then, he has become a pundit known for his outspoken style, appearing on BBC Radio Scotland.
The 45-year-old landed in trouble with the SFA after implying there was a "cover up" when he accused VAR of publishing two photographs of an offside incident with different lines during a match between St Mirren and Hibernian. He was also disciplined for referring to the SFA's head of refereeing as "wee" Willie Collum.
Sanctions and Impact
These incidents led to the SFA barring Stewart from Hampden Park, forcing him to present the Scottish Cup semi-final from a Premier Sports production vehicle outside the stadium. He was also banned from reporting on Scotland's World Cup farewell friendly against Curacao at Hampden.
Stewart was excluded from attending a media session delivered by Collum on rule changes, indicating that the situation has not improved.
Fear of Losing Job
Speaking to The Times, Stewart admitted he is worried that broadcasters might conclude his recent track record does not justify the risk of employing him. When asked if this weighed on his mind, he said: "Of course you do [think that], constantly. At the Scottish Cup semi-finals, Premier were openly supportive of me."
He added: "But of course that is part of it and I am sure that is part of the thought process [from the SFA] as well. That is the argument you have inside your head all the time about certain things."
Stewart acknowledged the stress this creates personally and for those around him, saying: "A lot of the time people are not comfortable being openly critical. Everyone is different. But it does create a lot of stress personally and [that is] extended to people around me."
He also expressed a willingness to apologise for certain remarks, particularly the 'Wee Collum' quip, despite admitting he "didn't see the problem with it" at the time.
