Dave Jones on Jeff Stelling: 'I wouldn't help him, even if he were burning'.

Dave Jones' appearance with Jeff Stelling

According to The Sun: Dave Jones, the former manager of Southampton and Wolverhampton, criticized Jeff Stelling for his famous appearance on Sky Sports. Stelling, who was long the host of the show 'Soccer Saturday', demanded Jones' resignation during a live broadcast in 2017 after the defeat of his favorite team Hartlepool United against Barnet with 0-2, which further pushed the team into the relegation zone.

'It's nothing personal, but Dave Jones, for the sake of the club, go now,' he stated.

Stelling also added that if Jones does not leave his position, he should be dismissed, noting that he was even willing to resign from his own position as president of the club. Jones was shortly thereafter dismissed from the club, however, Hartlepool relegated a few weeks later from the Football League.

Dave Jones on the situation

Jones, who has not managed professional teams since his resignation from Hartlepool in 2017, criticized Stelling for his behavior in his recent statement.

'I wouldn't piss on him if he were burning. I would just walk by,'

- he said in the podcast 'Under The Cosh'. Jones believes that Stelling acted incorrectly and that no one supported his reaction since it is shameful.

'He means nothing to me. He has a show, but for what? To criticize others?'

Jones also noted that he considers himself too significant to focus on Stelling's criticisms: 'I'll say it this way, if we were in the desert and I were driving by him, I wouldn't pick him up,' he added.

Stelling, who left Sky Sports in 2023, admitted that he may have overstepped in his criticism of Jones:

'I should have stopped when I said: 'Please go, Dave', and not continued.'

This story again highlights the emotionality and sportsmanship in football, where criticism can have significant impacts on coaches' careers. The conflict between Jones and Stelling illustrates how public presence and statements in the media can have serious consequences in the world of professional sports. It is important to remember that even a single sentence can influence decisions that affect an entire club and its future.