Bukayo Saka: From Starboy to Champion

[Penn_]

Turning down a grid walk interview is generally seen as a little arrogant, they’re not obliged but has led to security teams no longer being allow on the grid with them.

 

[BaZZe]

Turning down a grid walk interview is generally seen as a little arrogant, they’re not obliged but has led to security teams no longer being allow on the grid with them.

Sounds to me like F1 fans are a bit up their own ass then if they feel entitled to everyone there taking interviews. Saka was there with the rest of the England squad so he was probably just there with the rest of the team.

He also didn't turn down the interview. He asnwered the question and the Sky reporter didn't have any follow up.

 

[Batman]

I hate this business where people think those in the public eye need to be available to them at all times. Leave people alone. If I saw the Whole Foods cashier out somewhere off the clock, I wouldn't berate them about the weekly sales and then be upset when they want to enjoy their personal time. His job is to be available to the media at specified times related to his job. He has absolutely no obligation to them beyond that.

 

[LittleMo]

If you have any kind of profile and you go on the F1 grid then you know that they’ll probably come talk to you on the gridwalk, it’s the most utterly predictable thing ever.

I think he’s been a bit stupid here. He’ll have known perfectly well they might come talk to him so he should easily have been prepared for that. It’s not like it’s some long in-depth interview either, they generally ask a couple of mundane questions and move on, he’d have just been better to answer them. It’s not like Arsenal won’t have trained him for this kind of ****.

 

[Rain Dance]

what an overreaction for this non-event, but reading the comments on FB regarding this event cemented my view there's something about Saka that non-Arsenal English fans dislike about him

 

[DanDare]

If you have any kind of profile and you go on the F1 grid then you know that they’ll probably come talk to you on the gridwalk, it’s the most utterly predictable thing ever.

I think he’s been a bit stupid here. He’ll have known perfectly well they might come talk to him so he should easily have been prepared for that. It’s not like it’s some long in-depth interview either, they generally ask a couple of mundane questions and move on, he’d have just been better to answer them. It’s not like Arsenal won’t have trained him for this kind of ****.

Yeah he should've taken time out of his life to prepare for an interview that only benefits Sky coverage...

 

[Batman]

what an overreaction for this non-event, but reading the comments on FB regarding this event cemented my view there's something about Saka that non-Arsenal English fans dislike about him

Yes. His skin color and the club he plays for.

 

[Rain Dance]

Yes. His skin color and the club he plays for.

plenty of Black players in England NT, but the vitriol aimed at Saka is weird
one thing that really stood out is the amount of comments saying Saka is a diver

which is contrary to what we see

 

[bingobob]

What because he turned down an interview? He could have any number of valid reasons not to be interviewed and Sky Sports aren't entitled to one especially when it's not football related. Wasn't rude or anything. The fake outrage definitely has some undertones to it and some of it isn't even undertones like this one:


Hearing it again, I don't think he even turned him down he just answered "Who do you support" with "I don't like to say" what's wrong with that answer?

Tbf mate I've no idea what fake undertones you're on about. If someone is on the grid and they refuse an interview they look like a prick regardless of their race, religion or sexuality. Cara Delevingne being a prime example. Just so happens Saka plays for Arsenal and I've posted about it here.

The post you've quoted on twitter is just sick racism.

 

[Batman]

plenty of Black players in England NT, but the vitriol aimed at Saka is weird
one thing that really stood out is the amount of comments saying Saka is a diver

which is contrary to what we see

That's why I said it's the combination of the two. Look at how MLS is treated.

 

[RunTheTrap]

What is the big deal with Grand Prix interviews? Are celebrities supposed to speak when interviewed, or can they walk away? Assuming it was Sky who invited Saka? I sometimes think we forget that celebrities are human beings with their thing going on. I imagine its frustrating when someone puts a microphone and camera and expects you to talk. Not everyone can ‘switch it’ on.

There is a clip going around of Pep being interviewed by the same reporter, and he dismisses him like Saka did. There was no controversy or noise. No one brought up his race or Spanish heritage. Funnily enough, there is enough viral clip of Pep scolding a Liverpool fan who was bantering him about a loss. Pep needed his bodyguard to hold him back, and everyone found it funny.

 

[LittleMo]

Yeah he should've taken time out of his life to prepare for an interview that only benefits Sky coverage...

I didn’t say he had to prepare for an interview, that he should be prepared for the fact that someone would come and try talk to him. You hardly have to prepare for “Whose your favourite F1 team” and “Who do you think will win today”. It’s a grid walk not Louis Theroux.

People have been flamed before for not speaking to interviewers on the grid. Whether you think it’s right or not, it’s not unusual.

 

[Entropics]

He probably didn't have his media trained answer and shied away as a result, love the guy but he's dull af.

History won't look kindly at all at the way someone of his quality allowed half a decade of haramball to happen to his team. It's absolutely shocking if you think about it.

 

[coleio]

He probably didn't have his media trained answer and shied away as a result, love the guy but he's dull af.

History won't look kindly at all at the way someone of his quality allowed half a decade of haramball to happen to his team. It's absolutely shocking if you think about it.

Nice try

 

[BaZZe]

Assuming it was Sky who invited Saka?

The whole England squad was there. I'm guessing they were doing some teambuilding. I doubt Saka would have even been there if it wasn't for that.

 

[BaZZe]

 

[Rain Dance]

That's why I said it's the combination of the two. Look at how MLS is treated.

ah that's fair

 

[Haphazard]

This season should be a warning season for Arteta in terms of managing his minutes, we are so lucky that we also have Nwaneri but we also need a versatile attacker (aside from a CF and LW imo) that can fill in if he is ever injured.

 

[LittleMo]

What is the big deal with Grand Prix interviews? Are celebrities supposed to speak when interviewed, or can they walk away? Assuming it was Sky who invited Saka?

It’s basically an expectation that if you go on the grid that you get interviewed, so yeah you are kind of supposed to.

I guess it would be similar in football to walking by the pitch side interviewers and then refusing to say anything. You know they’ll probably grab you for a chat. Of course you can refuse but it becomes a bit odd to do so.

 

[bingobob]

What is the big deal with Grand Prix interviews? Are celebrities supposed to speak when interviewed, or can they walk away? Assuming it was Sky who invited Saka? I sometimes think we forget that celebrities are human beings with their thing going on. I imagine its frustrating when someone puts a microphone and camera and expects you to talk. Not everyone can ‘switch it’ on.

There is a clip going around of Pep being interviewed by the same reporter, and he dismisses him like Saka did. There was no controversy or noise. No one brought up his race or Spanish heritage. Funnily enough, there is enough viral clip of Pep scolding a Liverpool fan who was bantering him about a loss. Pep needed his bodyguard to hold him back, and everyone found it funny.

F1 fans have an expectation that if you're lucky enough to be on the grid then you can spend 30 seconds talking about it. And if you don't then the fans will call you out which over the years has caused celebrities and other famous people to apologise or defend themselves post race etc. It's not new. I may have missed the Pep one but no doubt there would have been all sorts calling him a prick for getting on like that.