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Arsenal’s captain Martin Odegaard gave a brief interview at half-time with Sky Sports during his side’s match against Manchester United in the Premier League last Sunday. The Premier League’s 2025-26 season has ushered in enhanced media access, driven by a reported £6.7 billion domestic TV deal that grants broadcasters like Sky Sports and TNT Sports behind-the-scenes coverage. This includes player interviews during live matches and even cameras inside dressing rooms. However, this move has been reportedly facing a fair share of reported criticism with former players recalling if this kind of interviews were allowed during their time.
Former England and Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney has claimed that former manager Sir Alex Ferguson would have staunchly opposed the modern trend of half-time interviews with players during Premier League matches. Speaking at his BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show, he said, “I know how he would have reacted, and it wouldn’t have been in a nice way, that’s for sure!”
Rooney also said on his podcast,“There’s no way this would have happened with Alex Ferguson”, chuckling at the thought of Ferguson’s likely fiery response. He went on to describe the practice as “crazy,” arguing that it offers little benefit to players and could disrupt their focus during critical moments of a match.
Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues in Sir Alex Ferguson's era
Wayne Rooney’s assertion that Sir Alex Ferguson would have rejected half-time interviews - is consistent with the manager’s reported reputation for prioritising his team’s focus and privacy. Ferguson, widely regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all-time, was reportedly notorious for his strict control over media interactions. During his 27-year tenure at Manchester United, where he won 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. Rooney, who played under Ferguson for nine years and became Manchester United’s all-time leading goal-scorer.
The specific incident that sparked Rooney’s remarks occurred during Arsenal’s win against Manchester United on August 17, 2025. At half-time, with the score still 0-0, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was interviewed by Sky Sports, offering insights into his team’s performance.
“They have quality and really good players up front,” Odegaard said of United. “I think we let them play through us too easily at times, but also we had a lot of space up front. When we regained the ball and we got to run and counter, we just need to be a bit more clinical in those moments,” he further added. The interview, which lasted about a minute, was part of the Premier League’s new broadcasting package, which also includes touchline interviews with substituted players.
