Scunthorpe United progressed into the quarter-finals of the EFL Trophy last night with a 3-1 victory over Manchester City Under-21s at Glanford Park.
Star of the show was undoubtedly Scunthorpe’s in-form Dutch striker Kevin van Veen with two goals and an assist, the experienced frontman proving to be too hot to handle for City’s young defence.
His performance was made to feel all the sweeter after it emerged in the local press 17-year-old City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis had boasted to the twenty-eight-year-old about the size of his wages compared to those of the lower-league journeyman. Indeed, van Veen said he was spurred on to his man of the match performance by the teenagers less than humble remarks.
The story has since been picked up by nationally by Talksport and fans were quick to react on social media when the off-air comments by the striker were made public in a tweet by Sports journalist for BBC Radio Humberside, and BBC Look North, Mike White.
While some fans criticised the journalist for making a story from an off-air chat but the fact Van Veen later retweeted his comments and made his own on the situation gave White more credibility.
@ManCity if u need down to earth players en players who dont cash anyone off and giving it the big one give me a ring 😊 with all due respect. #2goalsandassist 🙃 https://t.co/znSceUZeKk
— Kevin Van Veen (@kevinvanveen) January 8, 2020
It also seems apparent from the social media reaction that many fans feel the youngster has or should be taught a lesson in humility, and that his remarks are another example of young players being given too much at a such a young age.
Others have since accused the journalist of bullying the youngster to get more clicks.
Here is a selection of responses to the story on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/MatthewPWoods/status/1215197903045701632?s=20
Life lesson right there!
— Flat Caps 'n' Bovril (@capsnbovril) January 9, 2020
One has made it the other one hasn't bragging about how much you earn is one of the least classy things a person can do, glad he got mugged by the goat🍾
— smidan35 (@smidan35) January 8, 2020
@bellis_taylor you just got mugged off and on the pitch by King Kev
— Steven Hammond (@AskernIron) January 8, 2020
I think @mancity need to have a sit down with this young player and explain to him how he should feel very humble about his situation and to shut the hell up. Well done Kev for being the professional!
— Nathan Jarvis (@NathanJarvisMD) January 8, 2020
He’s a teenage professional footballer who has been accused of using his wages as a measure of him as a footballer against a L2 player. I’m not “calling him out”. I’m reporting the quote of the Scunthorpe player. No ‘creating’ of a story. I’m doing my job. As a grown man.
— Mike White (@mikewhitesport) January 9, 2020
Bullying? That’s a wildly inaccurate claim to make. Player A accuses Player B of claiming he makes more money than Player A who says it in a quotable interview. I quoted those comments. Please explain how that is bullying. https://t.co/bTIDEXVfCB
— Mike White (@mikewhitesport) January 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/Scunnypaxo/status/1215052491785736195?s=20
I think it also shows the young players get to much way to early and highlights how money is wasted higher up. There should be a wage cap.
— Paul Woodham (@thumpermaxie) January 9, 2020
He’s be playing for Stockport County, earning an annual salary for what KVV does in 3 months. Sad thing is, he probably can’t even see it coming. Insular.
— Nick Lough ⭐️⭐️ (@NDL95) January 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/Garym239/status/1215239119397425154?s=20
https://twitter.com/JT_Iron25/status/1215041619793186816?s=20
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