{"id":3172,"date":"2026-05-02T11:02:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T11:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=3172"},"modified":"2026-05-02T11:02:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T11:02:08","slug":"nick-woltemades-social-media-sulk-is-pathetic-modern-footballers-are-digital-drama-queens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=3172","title":{"rendered":"Nick Woltemade&#8217;s social media sulk is pathetic \u2013 modern footballers are digital drama queens"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_095873\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">BRENT A GOB: This week, Harry Brent takes aim at Nick Woltemade and the growing trend of Gen Z footballers throwing online sulks &#8211; before turning his fire on Chelsea and the chaotic state of &#8216;project&#8217;<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">08:00, 02 May 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 09:54, 02 May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"34711007\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Harry Brent AI\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34711007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Harry-Brent-Profile-copy-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34711007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Harry-Brent-Profile-copy-1.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34711007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Harry-Brent-Profile-copy-1.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34711007.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Harry-Brent-Profile-copy-1.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Our man Harry Brent is fuming in his latest column\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Our man Harry Brent is fuming in his latest column<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Is there anything more grating than a disgruntled Gen Z footballer\u2026 besides listening to Steve McManaman on commentary, of course?<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">They&#8217;re big on cyber tantrums \u2013 a habit so pathetic it makes Liam Rosenior&#8217;s managerial career look like his playing career, and his playing career look like Paolo Maldini&#8217;s. They scrub their social media accounts whenever they feel a bit moody \u2013 like a bunch of Year 9 schoolgirls fishing for sympathy with all the class and subtlety of Mo Salah trying to win a penalty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Nick Woltemade was at it this week, removing all mention of Newcastle from his various bios with the sanctimonious huffiness of Cristiano Ronaldo when a team-mate has the <em>sheer gall<\/em> to nick a back-post tap-in off his toes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page<\/strong><\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37097461\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37097461\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nick Woltemade\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097461.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2273110650.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097461.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_GettyImages-2273110650.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097461.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_GettyImages-2273110650.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097461.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2273110650.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Nick Woltemade has deleted all mention of Newcastle on his social media\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Nick Woltemade has deleted all mention of Newcastle on his social media<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">What a completely pointless exercise \u2013 not unlike when Eddie Howe puts Woltemade in the starting line-up, frankly. What does it actually achieve? The answer is exactly the same as Woltemade&#8217;s Premier League goal tally in 2026: zilch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It&#8217;s performative nonsense. A digital tantrum. The footballer&#8217;s equivalent of slamming a bedroom door and blasting My Chemical Romance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">These days, players are about as emotionally robust as Arsenal are in a title race. They need to grow the f*** up, put their phones the f*** down, and try hitting the back of the net instead of the &#8220;Delete&#8221; button for a change.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37097459\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37097459\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.69\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nick Woltemade and Anthony Elanga of Newcastle United talk on the substitutes bench\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097459.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2252429157.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097459.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_GettyImages-2252429157.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097459.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_GettyImages-2252429157.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37097459.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2252429157.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Woltemade has been struggling for minutes at St James' Park\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Woltemade has been struggling for minutes at St James&#8217; Park<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"HeadingThree_heading-three__PBHLs  __className_095873\">What the Chel are they doing?<\/h3>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">What a total shambles Chelsea have become. FA Cup semi-final win aside, they&#8217;re the Brooklyn Beckham of football clubs \u2013 all that wealth, youth and unearned privilege, yet they still manage to be an unwatchable, talentless bin fire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The clowns running the club have the business acumen of Britney Spears. They need a bloody conservatorship more than they need a No. 9 who actually scores goals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It&#8217;s an &#8216;all the gear, no idea&#8217; situation on an industrial scale. They&#8217;ve spent the last four years burning through cash while somehow making everything worse \u2013 you know, like the UK government does. Now, their precious project looks about as healthy as George Best&#8217;s liver.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37056183\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37056183\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.56\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Liam Rosenior\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37056183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Brighton-Hove-Albion-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37056183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Brighton-Hove-Albion-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37056183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Brighton-Hove-Albion-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article37056183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Brighton-Hove-Albion-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Liam Rosenior's tenure at Chelsea lasted just three months\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Liam Rosenior&#8217;s tenure at Chelsea lasted just three months<cite aria-label=\"Image: Chelsea FC via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Record losses \u2013 both on and off the pitch \u2013 have become about as common as a Wesley Fofana speeding ticket and the dressing room is a bloated mess of overrated, unlikeable, prima donnas who, like Jimmy Bullard on I&#8217;m a Celeb, give up the second they&#8217;re faced with a bit of mud.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Liam Rosenior debacle is just the tip of the sh*teberg. Despite the fact he looked about as useful as Cole Palmer would be on University Challenge, they handed him a six-and-a-half year deal \u2013 then sacked him three months later. That&#8217;s the sort of abject cluelessness that even Gabby Agbonlahor wouldn&#8217;t entertain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Chelsea are the biggest schmucks in London in a season where Tottenham are probably going to get relegated. That&#8217;s a level of failure so spectacular it might as well be sponsored by Gary Neville&#8217;s managerial career.<\/p>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContentsEmbed_affiliate-contents-container__oTiet\" data-testid=\"affiliate-contents-embed\">\n<div data-testid=\"affiliate-content\" class=\"AffiliateContent_affiliate-content-container__10EX_ affiliate-content\">\n<p>Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package<\/p>\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-disclaimer__dG5ST\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-text__8nmDa\">This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-container__JMDzM AffiliateContent_content-details__U6C2M AffiliateContent_has-content-img___LY95\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-content__QCkL9\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_content-image__FxPNL\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Content Image\" fetchpriority=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article33374947.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s510b\/0_Sky-Factbox.jpg\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_content-price-details__OpMC_\">\n<p>\u00a343<\/p>\n<p>\u00a335<\/p>\n<p>Sky<\/p>\n<p>Get the deal here<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-container__JMDzM\">\n<div id=\"product-description\" class=\"AffiliateContent_section-content__QCkL9\">\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025\/26 season, saving members \u00a3192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BRENT A GOB: This week, Harry Brent takes aim at Nick Woltemade and the growing&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3172\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}