When Sky Sports want someone to go overseas and play their football version of Karl Pilkington, it’s usually Gary Cotterill who is asked to get his passport ready.
The journalist has previous travelled on Manchester United related adventures to Lisbon to chase the Bruno Fernandes transfer story, and to Amsterdam to harass Erik ten Hag outside Ajax’s training facilities.
He does precisely what he’s asked and often provides a memorable moment for Sky Sports, with the same happening on Monday.
Cotterill was at Sporting CP’s press conference ahead of the club’s Champions League match against Manchester City, and wanted to ask Rúben Amorim Manchester United related questions and for the manager to reply in English.
Cotterill pressed and even suggested Amorim would be giving his new Manchester United fans the cold shoulder if he refused to speak in English.
It was all a bit odd, but then that was always likely to be the case.
Tuesday’s edition of O Jogo has briefly covered what they present as the journalist causing a ‘ridiculous moment’. The Portuguese newspaper add that Sporting’s press officer even had to get involved, but they point out that was done in a ‘friendly’ manner.
Amorim will soon enough be holding his own Manchester United press conferences, where he’ll be able to display his excellent command of English.
