'Players are drawn to it, seeking approval' - Sheffield Wednesday, negativity and the dangers of social media

Times have changed. Society arguably hasn't moved as quickly since the industrial revolution. The media is at the heart of that.

"I think the only thing you probably thought about media wise when I was a player was could you get a six or seven out of 10 on a Sunday morning in a paper!" he quips.

Bearing in mind Monk has literally just turned 41 - if his wikipedia page is to be believed - it shows an aspect of modern football and being a modern footballer that even he didn't really have to deal with.

The seemingly infinite rise of social media has brought with it immeasurable negativity. It's not always like that but frankly, at times it can be a cesspit made up of humanity's very worst.

Yet still, Monk says, players are drawn to it, in much the same way he was drawn to buy the Sunday papers to see what mark the match reporter had given him for his performance the day previous.

The difference is, he could throw the paper in the bin and forget about it. The comments section and replies came from blokes in the pub talking it over, far away from his eyes and ears. If they did say "he's ****, that Monk, I wish he'd just **** off" then Monk probably didn't have to hear it.

These days, players can get dragged into less a rabbit hole of negativity, as a sewer.

Ego is to an extent behind it, according to the Owls boss.

"Social media has definitely changed the dynamic," he says. "I think what it has changed the most is that need for approval. Social media has changed that. I think players seek approval on social media.

"But you have to be very careful on social media as everyone has got an opinion and quite rightly so. You understand that but most of it is negative and I think that is the world that we live in.

"Everyone wants to be negative right now and there is very rarely anything positive that is put towards you. It is abuse.

"Unfortunately, I think the mentality has changed throughout football, especially young players coming through because that is all they really know. They seek approval from social media."

Monk adds that they are looking in far from the right place if it's a few words of encouragement, a pat on the back or constructive criticism they're after.

"I always try and advise the young players that the only approval they need to seek is that of yourself, the people that mean the most to you and your manager," he says.

"That is who you need to seek that approval from, not someone who doesn't know you, probably doesn't even come to the games, supports another club or is on there pretending to be someone else that is abusing you but you don't need that approval.

"It is very difficult because that is the world they have grown up in."

The subject arises during a time when Hillsborough isn't exactly overflowing with positivity.

At Christmas they were near the top of the Championship. Before taking on Brentford on Saturday they were 12th, eight points of the play-off places, 10 points off the relegation spots and with a potential points deduction hanging over them as the EFL continue their investigation into the sale of their stadium by owner Dejphon Chansiri.

Storm clouds have been gathering over S6 for some time.

Monk himself is resilient. He's been here before.

In the stands and in the online forums and twitter threads, frustration turns to anger, turns to abuse.

When things are going badly, in football teams scapegoats are a necessity. Someone on the pitch has the bear the brunt of it. It was ever thus.

Even within this Wednesday squad, there are quite a number who have taken their turn.

Morgan Fox had it and came through it brilliantly. Cameron Dawson has had it. Atdhe Nuhiu has had it. Adam Reach; Tom Lees; Jordan Rhodes ...

Joey Pelupessy is the current darling of the abusers.

He hasn't been helped this week by a video featuring co-commentary by former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson, hammering the Dutchman's performance against Manchester City.

“I don’t remember him having the ball,” Upson said on ESPN. “If you watch him, every time the possession turns over, he stands with no movement.”

Wednesday fans latched onto it - many didn't need an excuse.

Managers will have always tried to shield players when they are having a tough time. Back when Monk was on the pitch the majority of that criticism would have come from the stands. They'd get about an hour of grief and could go away and try to forget it.

In the more modern era, with social media awash with sheer nastiness, at times it must feel like every day is an episode of The Simpsons where there's a baying mob outside your door with torches and pitchforks.

"Won't somebody please think of the footballers!"

Sadly, Monk's response to the player is one of 'just get on with it'. He doesn't mean that in an uncaring, horrible way. More a solemn, 'what can you do?'

"You speak with players but it is part of the job," he admits. "Even if we won every game this season, there would still be critics and people questioning certain things. That's just a way of the industry we are in and you have to be able to take that.

"Of course, you try and give them advice and help them through it.

"I work with these players every single day and see the commitment, attitude and what I feel they can offer. You have to give them the trust to go onto a football pitch."

Monk adds: "I think it is part and parcel of the job. If you come into professional football - and I have spoken to a lot of the younger lads about it - you have to be able to deal with that.

"You are always going to have critics and people that want to put you down or put a negative slant on everything. That is the world we live in.

"It is for you to be very single-minded in that moment and understand what you want and can do better.

"A lot of the times you're your own worst critic."

That last line is one often trotted out in football.

Sometimes, given the kinds of things that footballers are subjected to, you wonder the darkened depths their minds can go into, if they are indeed their own worst critic.