Carragher apologises to Villa for 'wrong' language
Pundit Jamie Carragher has apologized to Aston Villa for disparaging comments made on a podcast regarding manager Unai Emery and the club's status. The club had threatened legal action following Carragher's remarks that Villa would never be a 'giant' club like Manchester United.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the tension between sports media commentary and the professional reputations of football clubs and their management.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Former Liverpool defender Carragher works as a pundit for Sky Sports and American broadcaster CBS
Jamie Carragher has apologised to Aston Villa , the club's owners and their fans for using "clumsy and wrong" language when linking manager Unai Emery with becoming Manchester United head coach.
On Friday, Villa said they would initiate legal action against the former England defender for what they described as "unacceptable insults".
The club's statement, signed by chairman Nassef Sawiris, referred to comments made by Carragher on the Stick to Football podcast, when he suggested Emery would want to manage a "giant" club.
He also told the club's fans to shut up, adding: " Aston Villa will never be Manchester United ."
Posting on social media on Saturday, Carragher said his comments were intended to be "tongue in cheek".
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