As a footballer hosting a popular podcast talking about the league in which he plays in, Callum Wilson was always likely to receive some blowback at some point.
It’s not as if the Newcastle United forward is particularly controversial on the weekly discussions he hosts with West Ham counterpart Michail Antonio but their names carry such weight, whatever they do say will be picked up.
Indeed, Tottenham manager Ryan Mason has taken note.
Ryan Mason hits back at Wilson and Antonio Conte’s comments on Richarlison
The pair had appeared to have made light of £60m Spurs forward Richarlison’s celebrations when scoring his first Premier League goal for the club last month.
The Brazilian thought he had levelled the scores against Liverpool and completed a comeback from three goals down and duly ripped his shirt off, receiving a booking for his troubles.
Diogo Jota, however, would scored even later to deny Spurs the win.
“He’s scored four times this season,” said Antonio. ‘Three of the times he’s been offside [and] he’s taken his top off four times this season.
“He’s got four yellows – he’s almost on a suspension,” added Wilson, before the pair started laughing.
Now, Mason has hit back.
“As a coach I wouldn’t do it, and as a player I’d never have done it as well. I don’t really like that type of thing,” he said (via the Evening Standard).
“We’re all trying to do our best, we’re all professionals, we’re working hard, we dedicate our lives to get to this level and to compete at this level.
“I don’t really like that type of thing, personally.”
That feels a bit over the top
It never really seemed as if Wilson and Antonio were laughing at Richarlison’s goal being disallowed per se.
While it’s hard to know what exactly went through their minds, the tone in which they joked appeared to be laughing at the fact the Brazilian is hugely passionate and just how entertaining that is to watch.
Whenever players talk about each other, much as Newcastle fans saw with Jack Grealish and Miguel Almiron (albeit that felt slightly more pointed), headlines are created.
Though understandable Mason would protect his player, Wilson and Antonio surely didn’t mean it in such a nasty way.
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