Former Arsenal and England midfielder Paul Merson has moved to debunk the long-standing image of Robbie Savage as football’s pantomime villain, insisting the former Wales international is widely misunderstood.
Speaking on The Overlap on YouTube, Merson reflected on life after football and the challenges he has faced since retirement. The Arsenal maverick was joined by Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Jill Scott and Ian Wright, and used the conversation to heap praise on Savage.
“I’ve met Robbie Savage a couple of times and he’s the nicest man in the world when I met him,” Merson said. “A lovely bloke – one of the nicest you could meet. People absolutely slaughter him, and I always ask, ‘Have you ever met him?’ They say no, and I say, ‘Well, meet him – he’s a lovely guy.’
“I couldn’t talk highly enough of him. You shouldn’t judge people like that.”
Ever the sceptic, Roy Keane responded with a grin: “That’s a bit of a stretch – Robbie Savage being a nice guy.”
Merson also praised Savage’s early work in management, with Forest Green Rovers pushing for the play-offs in his first season in charge.
“He’s doing well in management too, and he’s doing it the hard way,” Merson added. “Conference football is hard.”
