Dundee manager Paul Hartley has launched a scathing attack on Sportscene and its pundit Pat Nevin after the Dark Blues’ defending was criticised on the BBC programme.
Hartley didn’t watch the Scottish football highlights show when it was broadcast on Sunday night but Nevin’s analysis of Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen was brought to his attention yesterday by members of the Dens staff.
Nevin talked of “awful defending” and added that he “wasn’t convinced” by the backline.
The former Chelsea, Everton and Scotland winger was particularly critical of the marking in the build-up to Adam Rooney’s winning goal for the Dons.
Having now seen and heard the contents of Sportscene, Hartley did a demolition job on the programme in general and Nevin in particular.
The Dundee boss, who has done work as a match summariser himself and was part of BT Sport’s recent showing of the Dundee United versus Celtic match, said: “I didn’t see it but I was told about it and then I saw it.
“I was shown it this morning.
“That’s why he (Nevin) has never managed.
“What would he know about the shape of my team?
“He picks out three incidents in the game.
“I saw the players’ performance on Friday night, I saw the shape of the team and some of the stuff he was speaking about was absolute garbage.
“That sums that programme up.
“It’s disappointing.
“He doesn’t know what he is talking about and it’s the same every week.
“That’s why I don’t watch it, that’s why I wouldn’t have any of my players going on it and I wouldn’t go on it myself.
“It’s the worst programme I’ve seen.
“Does it have any credibility? No, it’s got none.”
Damning words indeed but Hartley did reveal he used to be a Sportscene fan back in the day.
“It’s not what it used to be like, away back in the 1980s when you wanted to sit up and watch Sportscene on a Saturday night,” he added.
“Now you don’t want to watch it.”
Nevin then got the full verbal volley.
Hartley added: “Some of the stuff he is talking about is just absolute nonsense, about shape and organisation.
“I was at the game, I managed it.
“He wasn’t a defender, he has never coached or managed a team.
“He probably didn’t even watch the game. I guarantee you he never watched the whole game.
“It’s disappointing for someone to go on there and speak about things that he doesn’t know about.
“He doesn’t know our team. He’s probably never seen us play this season.
“He can have his say but he’s talking absolute rubbish.
“I’ve told you the programme is terrible.
“No matter what anybody says, it’s garbage.
“And I’m not the only one that thinks that by the way. Put that in your paper!”