Premier League players warned "don't be a Twit"
Sport
News | 26 July 2011
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy has spoken of the need to educate players on the use of social networking sites following an incident last season in which he believes an indiscreet Tweet cost him the signing of Steve Sidwell.
McCarthy has instructed Schillings to work with both the Academy and First Team squads at Wolves to educate the players on the do's and don't's of social networking.
Speaking to the Guardian McCarthy said: "Players are going to get themselves into trouble over Twitter, I can tell. I can't ban it and I'm not going to try. But they have to be careful what they say on it about the club and its policies. If they put a team selection up, which I'm sure some disgruntled numpty will at some stage, they will be in trouble. Then I think they can get fined. It is forbidden and I think it's unforgivable anyway [to] make it known just because they are not in the team
We are in the process of educating them, having a media law firm come in and speak to the players about it. Having pictures of yourself misbehaving as a 16-year-old is OK until you become a famous footballer and that picture is still there and is there forever."
> Read the full article in the Guardian
The Wolves boss' statement mirrors comments made in March this year at Schillings' sports conference. Matthew Himsworth of Schillings stated:
"Players need to be aware that failing to upgrade security settings on Facebook or ignoring club rules on use of Twitter can seriously damage a career. Similarly, blackberry pin messaging, the fashionable tool of young sportsmen and women, has led to a number of invasive and damaging articles recently. There now appears to be a weekly Twitter scandal over an inappropriate Tweet and some individuals are seemingly making a career out of eliciting indiscreet pin or text messages or photos."
> Click here for more information about the Schilling sports conference