ITV viewers issued the same complaint about Gabriel Clarke's interview on Saturday night, accusing the pundit of stirring up discord within the England squad after their victory against Norway. The sports broadcaster found himself at the centre of a storm, with many fans taking to social media to express their frustrations.
Ofcom Receives 443 Complaints
TV watchdog Ofcom confirmed it received 443 complaints regarding Gabriel Clarke's line of questioning in post-match interviews with Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham. Viewers felt Clarke was stoking division and tension within the Three Lions, with some pleading with ITV to 'get rid' of the pundit.
Clarke Questions Team Mentality
During the post-match interview, Thomas Tuchel expressed dissatisfaction with England's performance, stating, 'We made life very, very difficult for ourselves. The result is fantastic, we're in the last four, it's amazing, but we're not happy with the performance.' He added, 'Sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough. We were lucky today.'
Gabriel Clarke then asked if it was a 'mentality problem.' Tuchel quickly shut down the suggestion, replying, 'How can you ask about mentality now? This is pure mentality, you can bottle it up and sell it. It's the quality of our games. That's it. It has nothing to do with mentality.'
Jude Bellingham Responds
Clarke later spoke with Jude Bellingham, informing him that Tuchel was 'not very happy' with the display. Bellingham responded, 'Yeah, well, whatever. Whatever. It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift. All the players have put in a very tough shift, so my thoughts and appreciation go to the players out there who put in a great shift.'
Social Media Backlash
Many viewers took to social media to complain, with one writing, 'Gabriel Clarke is a s***-stirring.' Another said, 'Terrible from Gabriel Clarke who did the interview.' However, not all fans agreed; one defended Clarke, stating, 'At last a post-match interview that had some meaning. Well done Gabriel Clarke.'
