Martin Odegaard says that while it’s a positive thing to connect with fans, footballers need to protect themselves from the worst excesses of social media.
Platforms like Twitter and Instagram allow supporters a direct connection to players, and unfortunately dealing with abuse is something many have to contend with.
Speaking to Norwegian media, the new Arsenal captain said he tries to take a balanced view of the interactions he receives, but made it clear he feels it’s necessary to be able to compartmentalise the stuff they are sent.
“Today it is impossible not to get anything,” he said. “For players especially – and coaches – it is important to protect yourself a little bit.
“In football, you are either the best or the worst and if you listen to the media, or social media, or fans, every time you play a game you will be very unstable emotionally.
“When I talk about myself, I think they are too positive when I play well and too negative when I play bad. It is important to block it out a little bit, to keep your focus and listen to the right people.
“For this club and for all the players, the coaches, the manager, I feel it has been important to connect more with the fans. I feel like that has been the most important thing, to connect more to the fans, to understand them and to maybe be more open.
“We play on the same team, we want the same thing, we want the best for the club, we want to win every game and we need their support. Last year was brilliant in the stadium and I think they helped us a lot.
“Of course, you have to listen but sometimes you need to protect yourself so it’s a balance you need to find.”
The Norwegian will lead Arsenal out on Friday night at Selhurst Park as the new club captain, and let’s hope at the end of the 90 minutes people are just a bit too positive about him and all the assists he provided Gabriel Jesus on the way to our resounding win.
😉
Seems a very wise and mature young man. Just what we need as captain.
“Platforms like Twitter and Instagram allow supporters a direct connection to players”
I have an issue with the use of the word supporters here. The general general public would cover even the idiots who do nothing but throw abuse at people they’ve never met behind the cover of the internet
Was a really interesting moment in the Xhaka explosion at The Emirates that his statement talked so much about the online trolling (which was/is horrendous).
To me it feels like players sometimes don’t realise that to most of us the crossover between the vast majority of match going fans and the Social Media morons is tiny.
Yeah, the main reason I’ve left all social media platforms is the realisation that it naturally distorts opinions to the extreme. For example, I sometimes write the odd funny thing on here and I get some likes and that feels nice. So I was like “let’s start a Twitter account and do the same”. So I start tweeting and no one gives a shit. Zero retweets, zero likes. But then I write a slightly scathing / mocking tweet and it gets a tonne of interactions. And I think “yeah, I’ve cracked it”. So I start writing more and more derogatory… Read more »
Fair play to you. Both for your honesty in admitting it in public and admitting to yourself. That takes some strong degree of self assessment. Most importantly you addressed and dealt with it. Good man Mr 4 Hats.
Cheers this was interesting. Not surprising but still striking to hear how stark the difference in interactions was. The platforms are built this way and it has effects far beyond the the people who actually use them. I think a lot of people don’t get that yet.
Unrelated but I’ve only just realised your name probably means you have four hats, as opposed to being generally in favour of hats, which is what I’d assumed.
J4H, don’t be ashamed mate. Be proud of yourself for sussing it and even prouder for admitting it.
Most of us on here – apart from a couple of numb nuts who are addicted to thumbing down everyone and everything – want the best for Arsenal and Arteta, so you’re in reasonably good company.
Stick with us, mate. You’re loved on here.
😊👍🍺
Cheers pal.
That’s why I really like it on here chatting to you lot.
Somehow this corner of the internet has managed to stay pretty respectful and emphatic.
But you’re still wrong about Ozil 😂😜😂
*Empathetic 🤣
No I’m not!! He was a fucking genius!! 😂😂
Thanks for sharing so openly Sir👍
On my side, never had any Tw*tter, Faceb**k nor Inst*gram or whatever social media account …
When I see people from that industry, especially at Senior level, preventing their kids from using those tools, I think this says it all!
I caught social media once. Penicillin cleared it right up.
As someone who has zero interest in anything related to other clubs, it is pretty tiring to find trolls under every Arsenal post
Also to a lesser extent for the sake of Arsenal but to a larger extent my Fantasy football team, I hope your last statement comes true. Every week
Just added Leno to my Fantasy team. 😊
The supporters were fantastic home and away last season – hope that continues!! As for social media, I’m a complete nobody and even I don’t engage with that nonsense. Hope our players are all as sensible as Odegaard when it comes to that.
Too right, look at the hideous nature of some England fans after the Euro’s penalty shootout.
I watched a programme on it after about police trying to find the sender’s identities and Twitter were very reluctant to pass on the user’s information. User privacy is good and all but not when it allows you to openly target and racially abuse some poor kids with no consequence.
Thankfully our Saka bounced back alright!
not just players, but everyone, should protect themselves from social media- its trash!
It would be easy. If a player had a closed account with 300 pals from football and 200 other friends there would be no abuse and he could fully enjoy social media. Unfortunately they are told to be or want to be a “brand” and their advisors deem it necessary that every average Joe needs to see their pool pics from the holiday in Tahiti or the new Pomeranian of they girlfriends. If you are a “brand” and you are not good, you will be slammed. If Coke puts out a new Fanta Kiwi flavour and it’s horrible it will… Read more »
such a lengthy response, but my point remains: social media is trash (hell, the internet is trash and we’d all be better off without it).
also, the old and cringeworthy adage remains true- if something is free, you’re the product
Arseblog is free. I don’t feel like the product. (I still agree with your point, though. Maybe that’s just the exception that proves the rule.)
I was literally thinking the same thing as soon as I read this headline. The research demonstrating social media’s substantial impact on loads of things from teenage depression and suicide, negativity bias, social isolationism, distrust and political polarization… the list goes on and on. We should all just take one big step away from it and say “no, thanks!”
Ødegaard has had to deal with alot of shit even from the age of 16. I remember very well the Norwegian press hammering him for choosing Real Madrid at an early age after the initial “OMG”. Proud that he’s our captain.
The players need to avoid the media at all costs. I remember back in the day George Graham being filmed at London Colney giving the boys a pep talk after the Old Trafford ‘brawl’ in 1990/91. He said “The press are enjoying it – it’s fashionable to knock the Arsenal.” Well, here we are in 2022 and nothing has changed. I’m sure Arteta will be fully aware of this though. And, another thing to remember is that negative press can also be used in a positive way as a means of inspiring determination to prove the fuckers wrong – as… Read more »
* pin the newspapers
That’s our Captain Arsenal.👊🏾💪🏾💪🏾
It’s not just social media, it’s all comments starting with parents, teachers to bosses, friends and now social media. We all love when we’re told how great we are. And when we hear that from a source, we want to believe it. And then, when the same source says we’re shit, then we feel that BECAUSE we already gave imo too much self value to the speaker. If we believe we’re great because they said so, we have to believe we’re shit, too. That’s how logic works. Know your own value. Listen to others and learn if you want. Otherwise,… Read more »
True RESPECT to our captain