Wrexham boss hits back at Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp as Ben Tozer makes ‘shove it’ claim
Wrexham boss hits back at Billy Sharp after Sheffield United skipper’s “disrespectful” comments
Phil Parkinson, the Wrexham boss, hit back at Billy Sharp after the Sheffield United skipper’s emotional post-match interview following tonight’s FA Cup victory, in which he blasted the National League side for being “disrespectful” in the build-up to the fourth-round replay.
Sharp scored a decisive goal in injury time to put United 2-1 ahead before Sander Berge’s third capped victory and set up a next-round clash with Tottenham Hotspur at Bramall Lane.
The United captain hit out at Wrexham and a number of players for getting ahead of themselves ahead of the game, with their official Twitter account tweeting a photo to Spurs after the fifth-round draw was made - with a replay against United still to come.
“I think they’ve been disrespectful with a few things before the game,” Sharp said to ITV after the game, “thinking they were already through.
“I wasn’t happy with the way they’ve been as a club, before the game, eyeing up Spurs.”
Parkinson was asked about Sharp’s comments in his own post-match press conference, admitting: “I was a bit disappointed with Billy at the end, some of the things he was shouting at the end in the tunnel.
“He’s a fantastic player but I thought he was disrespectful at the end. I think the way their players, fans and staff celebrated was a mark of how tough we made it but my message to Billy is: ‘You’re better than that.’
“My players are humble and a great credit to the football club.”
Wrexham captain Ben Tozer accused Sharp and Co. of a “real lack of humility” in the tunnel after the game. “He [Sharp] should show more respect to us than telling us to shove it on the documentary.
“I said face to face to him: ‘Show more humility’. We congratulated them on the win and it’s just a shame that’s the way it ended.”