Jordan Henderson touched on the negative effects of social media in some depth during an extensive conversation with Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes.
The England international lamented the impact some comments, especially from “fans and the outside world”, have had on young players.
The Reds’ skipper said on the High Performance Podcast (via YouTube), “There’s a lot of positive stuff on social media, but I think it can certainly have a negative impact on players.
“If it’s a loss of form or confidence, or whatever it is that people are piling on, it could be a tweet or an Instagram comment.
“It’s easy to say, ‘Stop visiting social media, just delete it,’ but somehow social media always seems to find you.
“As a player, especially at the top level, do your friends say, ‘Have you seen this? Why are they saying this?'” I try to protect you, but , it’s coming towards you.
“Or you’re on the news or in an interview, and even when you’re being asked questions, you always find a way to know what’s being said, whether it’s the fans or the outside world. It can be very difficult for players, especially young players, to deal with.
“But unfortunately it has come. A lot of people say it’s part of football and many footballers are highly paid and it’s with the territory. , I don’t think you think about money, about being a superstar, about someone you look up to, you think about playing football.
“When I was a kid, I just wanted to be a footballer because I loved playing football and I respect the people who played it back then.”
The introduction of such a platform has arguably completely changed the way footballers interact with fans and commentators off the pitch.
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With so many emotional investment supporters pouring into the sport, it’s not always possible to avoid outbursts of outright negative emotions.
That said, those using platforms like Twitter should be aware of how internal monologues affect players, especially those prone to harsh criticism.
It’s perfectly fine to advise players to abandon the platform in question, but it’s advice that fails to target the root of the problem, the trolls themselves.
While we have repeatedly called for better social media safety measures and controls in the past, abusive comments clearly point to genuine individuals who are not allowed to profit from faceless or nameless profiles. Being able to track is as essential as ever.
Simply put, it should be the responsibility of social media users to ensure that their anonymity rights are not inappropriately used, rather than players putting up a stiff upper lip and accepting abuse.
You can catch the clip below, courtesy of High Performance Podcasts.
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