Redknapp slams ‘hypocritical’ Neville over ‘completely ridiculous’ UK, Qatar worker comparison

Harry Redknapp has slammed Gary Neville over the pundit’s “completely ridiculous” comparison between striking UK public sector staff with migrant workers in Qatar.

Neville launched into a rant during ITV’s coverage of the World Cup final, claiming British ministers were “demonising” public sector staff, likening conditions they face to those of the migrant labour force in Qatar.

6,500 migrants are thought to have died while contructing the stadiums and infrastructure for the World Cup and ITV were quick to distance themselves from Neville after his speech, insisting they did not endorse his views.

Addressing the human rights issues during ITV’s build-up to Sunday’s final between Argentina and France, Roy Keane said: “This World Cup is stained, that’s the bottom line.

“The football’s been great, but the football was always gonna be great because you’ve got world-class players, but it is stained.”

In response, Neville – who, lest we forget, has been paid handsomely by Qatari broadcaster beIN SPORTS this winter – was quick to highlight the issues at home.

“We should detest low pay, we should detest poor accommodation and working conditions,” said Neville.

“We can never accept that in this region or any other region – and it is just worth mentioning we’ve got a government in our country that are demonising rail workers, ambulance workers and terrifyingly nurses.

“We can’t have people being paid an absolute pittance to work, we can’t have people in accommodation that is unsavoury and disgusting.

“It shouldn’t happen here [in Qatar] … with the wealth that exists. But it shouldn’t happen with the nurses in our country either where our nurses are having to fight for an extra pound or two pounds.”

ITV were quick to distance themselves from Neville’s views before Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged Neville to stick to football.

And Redknapp says the former Manchester United star was being “hypocritical” before insisting it was a daft comparison.

He told TalkTV: “How can you compare what’s going on out there with what’s going on with train drivers and nurses.

“We want to see nurses get more money, of course we do, they’re fantastic.

“But you can’t compare the two situations. It’s completely ridiculous.”