‘You are a sad, desperate man’: Jamie Carragher hits out at Richard Keys

Jamie Carragher has hit back at Richard Keys after the former Sky Sports presenter accused him of being a ‘borderline racist’ for thinking the England national team should always be managed by an Englishman.

Following England’s elimination from the World Cup at the hands of France, Gareth Southgate is considering his future in the dugout after six years at the helm.

Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino and Brendan Rodgers have been touted as potential replacements if Southgate walks away, but Carragher insisted on Tuesday morning that none of the trio should even be considered due to their nationality.

Richard Key disagrees, and thinks Carragher’s view on the matter ‘borders on racism’

Carragher hit back, hinting that Keys was just bitter about losing his job as a Sky presenter

‘The England manager should always be English!’ Carragher tweeted.

The ex-Liverpool defender’s statement caused a stir on social media, and Keys lashed out at Carragher for his comments.

‘What sort of nonsense is this? It borders on racism,’ Keys responded.

‘The England coach should be the best person available. England should not hide behind closed borders & minds.’

Carragher was not willing to take Keys’ criticism lying down, and labelled the 65-year-old a ‘sad, desperate man’.  

‘“It borders on racism”. I hope you send similar tweets to a lot of journalists who have the same opinion, or is it because I work for Sky!’ he replied.

Keys was sacked by Sky in 2011, and now works for Qatari-owned TV channel beIN SPORTS

‘You are a sad desperate man.’

Keys famously left Sky in disgrace in 2011 after being sacked for making sexist remarks about female referee Sian Massey-Ellis.

He now works for the Qatari-owned channel beIN SPORTS, while Carragher joined Sky as a pundit in 2013 following his retirement from football, and he has hinted that Keys is still bitter about his former employers letting him go.

Carragher may not get his way, as Sportsmail revealed on Monday that the FA are open to appointing a foreign manager to succeed Southgate.

The FA are desperate to convince Southgate to see out his contract until Euro 2024, though.

It is also understood that they would prefer to bring in an English coach should Southgate leave, with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard seen as two potential candidates that could be put forward for the role.