PHIL Neville and Jonathan Pearce certainly know what it is like to arouse the ire of the football-loving masses on social media.
Neville was ridiculed for what his critics viewed as a monotonous commentary during England's intriguing game with Italy. Pearce seemed to be flummoxed by the workings of goal-line technology during the France v Honduras match.
Both discovered, to their cost, the nature of Twitter: one complaint can quickly become one hundred, and a hundred can multiply with stunning speed. Ricky Gervais sympathised with Neville, tweeting: "I genuinely hope that Phil Neville doesn't ever read Twitter. Brutal."
Neville responded jovially, saying the criticism would only make him better. In fact, his commentary was full of pithy insights: not for him the artless "say what you see" approach of some other analysts. As for Pearce, one of our most astute commentators on these big occasions, his rush-of-blood-to-the-head error was out of character. The criticism was unduly harsh.
The episodes will have reminded both men of the merciless scrutiny that comes with the job. We can but hope they silence their detractors the next time they pick up their mikes.
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