Not many would have put money on Jamie Carragher becoming one of the most respected - and entertaining - pundits in football, but the Liverpool legend has certainly carved out a successful career following his playing days.
Speaking to Lucy Meacock for ITV News, Carragher again expresses regret about the March incident that could have put that potent punditry path on a downhill spiral.
Carragher refers to the moment he was caught spitting on camera at a young girl after becoming engaged in an altercation with her father, but vehemently draws the line at trying to elicit any sympathy for himself.
When asked by Meacock how he copes with living in the limelight because of how social media makes it ‘very intrusive because something happens and it’s all over the place the next day’, a question with an implicit nod to ‘Spitgate’, Carragher responds with dignity;
‘Yeah, well listen I’m well aware of that now.
‘The mistake I made, huge mistake and I apologised at the time, but that’s the world that we live in you know with social media now.
‘I suppose things are in the forefront so much more, they get so much more publicity because of the world we live in as I’ve said.’
When further probed as to how much impact that had on him and his family Carragher goes on to say;
‘It was big, but listen I’m not going to sit here and want sympathy of anything.
I made a mistake, I shouldn't have done what I did. It was tough at the time for me and my family but it was also tough for the people that were involved in it as well.
I mean I wouldn’t want people to think I was that type of person, but in those five or six seconds I was that type of person.
I just snapped on the way home from the game.’
A diplomatic answer refreshingly devoid of self-pity regarding a moment that could have realistically derailed his entire post-match career in punditry. It echoed the apology he immediately provided following the incident in which he made sure to pay attention to the unfair spotlight it placed on the ‘victim’;
‘I’m not ever going to criticise the people who were involved’
Carragher made over 700 appearances for the Reds, with his crowning glory being part of the squad that went on to win the 2005 Champions League. You can watch the video of Carra explaining his actions further below.
