ESPN UK question John Aldridge’s Irishness with controversial tweet. Aldo issues withering response

After something of a turbulent week, ESPN UK might want to replace whoever’s responsible for looking after their Twitter account.

Two days after a provocative and cheeky but ultimately harmless tweet about Luis Suarez’s links with Arsenal, the ESPN UK Twitter account was courting controversy once again today after a needless dig at John Aldridge and his decision to play international football for Ireland. Aldridge has been prominent this week for questioning Luis Suarez’s loyalty to Liverpool considering how they’ve stuck by him amidst a series of controversies in recent years. “The fans have been loyal, the manager’s been loyal, his comrades have been loyal, and the hierarchy have been loyal to him," Aldridge was quoted as saying this week. “They’ve done everything in the powers possible to back him up and he’s basically put a custard pie in everyone’s face.” While posting a Twitter link to a story on their website about Aldridge’s comments, ESPN suggested that Aldridge wasn’t in a position to question Suarez’s loyalty considering that he chose to play international football for the Republic of Ireland despite the fact that he was born in and grew up in England.

John Aldridge questions Luis Suarez's loyalty. (The same John Aldridge born in England and played for Ireland.) http://t.co/qJfMaBxCux #LFC — ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 26, 2013

It came across as something of a cheap dig by ESPN and when Aldridge got wind of it on Twitter, his response illustrated just what he thought of the implication made in the ESPN tweet.

@StanleyVandel @ESPNUK what a knob he is Stan just block him mate — John Aldridge (@Realaldo474) July 26, 2013

  Having taken some flak for the original tweet, ESPN subsequently apologised on Twitter, although it could be argued that the logic behind their apology didn’t really make sense in relation to what they had originally posted.

Seems our John Aldridge tweet has been taken the wrong way, so apologies. We meant we're gutted he didn't choose to play for England! #LFC — ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 26, 2013

  In any case, they should probably just be glad they didn’t say anything to Aldridge’s face, lest they faced a reaction a little something like this… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_0ZEh6LPnA