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Wenger concerned about social footballers

Richard Bell

Arsene Wenger, the manager of London Premier League outfit Arsenal, has admitted that he is concerned about how footballers are using social media outlets such as Twitter.

The 65-year-old addressed the  national press on October 31st as part of his regular press conference, which followed Queens’ Park Rangers defender Rio Ferdinand receiving a three-match ban and a £25,000 fine over a tweet on his account.

Although not discussing the Ferdinand case directly, the Frenchman was more worried about protecting his club, commenting:

“We are concerned about Twitter and things going out of the club that should not go out.”

With many firms engaging with digital marketing companies to manage their social activities and reputation, he went on to say that it was vital to keep club matters that should not go public, private.

He continued:

“It is important to keep that under control. In the modern world that is very difficult but we try.”

Ferdinand’s case was the 121st social media incident that the Football Association has investigated since the 2010/11 season. In the majority of these cases some action has been taken, with 60 resulting in charges being brought against the individual. A further 43 saw warnings issued to them.

The first fine issued by the FA over a social media dispute was to Liverpool’s Ryan Babel, following his criticism of Howard Webb. The post included a photoshopped image of the referee in a Manchester United shirt.

The biggest fine meanwhile was handed down to Ashley Cole, after he took to the social media to offensively criticise the governing body of English Football. The FA took its revenge by hitting him with a £90,000 fine.

Another high profile case was the £50,000 fine handed to Tottenham Hotspur defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto, after he publically supported Nicolas Anelka’s ‘quenelle’ gesture earlier in the year, which has been likened to a Nazi salute.

Richard has a First in English Literature and Creative Writing, and has experience writing fiction and short stories (which he has published both online and in magazines).

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