Gary Neville has launched a scathing attack on Chelsea's new pre-match huddle routine, branding it 'just for show' and 'almost cultish' after the Blues' bizarre antics ahead of their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Saturday. The former Manchester United defender, speaking on his Sky Sports podcast, urged the club to 'stop it straight away' following the odd spectacle at Stamford Bridge, where referee Paul Tierney was left standing in the middle of the huddle.
Neville questioned the purpose of the huddle, arguing that players should be fully prepared long before kick-off. 'If you've prepared for seven months of a season, four days before a game, weeks before for a football match, and then you have to do a huddle 10 seconds before the start of a match to talk to each other, to motivate each other, you've done something wrong in the build-up,' he said. 'No words can help you, in my opinion.'
The pundit dismissed the huddle as a gimmick aimed at convincing fans of team spirit, but insisted it would not fool anyone. 'It's just for show, absolutely it's just for show. It's almost cultish... Fans won't be conned by that by the way, they'll just judge you on your performances,' Neville added. He also criticised Tierney for not moving out of the way, calling the situation 'absolutely bizarre'.
Meanwhile, Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior expressed anger after the match, claiming he would speak to refereeing body PGMOL about the incident. He argued that the rulebook allows players to be where they want, and criticised Tierney for focusing on the huddle rather than making correct decisions, referencing a denied penalty appeal for a challenge on Cole Palmer.
The defeat dealt a blow to Chelsea's top-four hopes in the Premier League, with their Champions League chances also hanging by a thread after a 5-2 first-leg loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Neville concluded: 'It's a nonsense. The whole thing is a nonsense. Stop doing it, let players go in their positions.'
