Neville urges Rosenior to 'just stop it' over Chelsea huddle

Gary Neville has launched a scathing attack on Chelsea’s pre-match huddle, labelling the routine "ridiculous" and "nonsense" and urging manager Liam Rosenior to abandon the tactic after bizarre scenes involving referee Paul Tierney. Following Saturday's loss to Newcastle, players surrounded Tierney in the centre circle during an odd huddle.

Since taking over in January, Rosenior has made the routine a mainstay, and the most recent version — in which Tierney was made to stand awkwardly among the players — has been widely ridiculed; Rosenior defended the ritual and chastised the official for interfering.

Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast, Neville called the display an unwarranted distraction. "I thought it was extremely odd, really weird," he said. "If you need a huddle 10 seconds before kick-off to motivate each other, you’ve done something wrong in your preparation." He added that such displays are "just for show" and "almost cultish," and delivered a blunt ultimatum: "I would stop it straightaway, nip it in the bud.

gary neville, liam rosenior, chelsea, pre-match huddle, paul tierney, centre circle, sky sports, newcastle, referee, ritual