Joe Savage responds to Hearts 'personal abuse' as he reveals encounter with fan that sticks with him
Savage reckons fans feel they can say what they like on social media and admits it gets to him when personal insults are hurled his way.
Joe Savage has opened up on the 'personal abuse' he's received in his role as Hearts sporting director - asking vocal critics to think before they speak or post on social media.
Savage took over his role at Hearts in December 2020 and has since helped spearhead their re-establishment as one of the country's best sides outside of Rangers and Celtic. But it's not all been plain-sailing, with the sacking of Robbie Neilson last season and the saga surrounding the appointment of Steven Naismith. His signing record has been called into question at times too and Savage insists he's happy to take healthy criticism on the chin.
But he draws the line at 'abuse,' and says even comments intended as lighthearted can hit home. Speaking to the Hearts Standard, he said: "I’m not on social media but I hear it, I see it, I know it’s there. I know there is a pressure on me. One of the fans made sure to tell me there is a thread on (Jambos) Kickback about me, whether I should stay or I should go.
"I’m thinking that is really interesting because these are the pressures of the job people don’t tell you. Everyone says to you ‘don’t read it’. But it is not happening to you when they say don’t read it or don’t listen to it. You can’t help it, it is there.
"I’m quite comfortable showing this vulnerability. I think people need to hear this job is not all rosy, it’s not me going home, sitting with my feet up and lighting a cigar saying ‘what a day I’ve had today’. Decisions you need to make everyday are hard. You’ve got things with budgets, things with salary increases, bonuses, people wanting this, agents wanting to move their players. You are saying not for that money and that agent is falling out with you. You’ve to deal with so much every single day and at times you feel you are a glorified head of recruitment because you get judged on signing players but that’s not the role. That’s all I ever get when I’m out.
"We played Ross County a few weeks ago. Me and Andrew McKinlay are walking out after the game. We had won 1-0 so there were a few fans banging on the window giving it ‘well done, well done’. There was one guy who had a minibus, opened up his window and shouts out ‘Savage you baldy p****, signings have been s****. Only joking, only joking’.
"He’s trying to have a bit of banter but he’s calling me a baldy p****. Clearly I am follically challenged but it's still not nice when people say it to you and want to tell you to your face. I’m trying to lose weight now because I’m being called fat that much. I don’t want to be fat, I want to be in good shape. I know you can smile, laugh and joke about it but I want to break that mould of people saying that about you and thinking it is fine to say that about you. Football seems to be an industry where on social media fans can say whatever they want about you. It’s not nice.
"I’m not on social media because it is a dangerous thing. For the 99 positive comments you’ll see the one negative and it will stay with you. Someone screenshotted something a couple of weeks ago and sent it to me that a fan had apparently said Savage needs to go because he is a bad egg. Straight away I’m thinking ‘how am I a bad egg, what have I done to upset anyone?’ You start to think ‘where is that coming from, what are people saying?' It’s easy for people to turn round and say to ignore it but it’s not you getting it.
"You see the stuff about all the people who talk about the mental health problems. It is a big thing out there in football. Go back on that person’s social media timeline and they have probably slaughtered some player three days ago but they are then reposting about mental health. It is so fake. It drives me insane."
"Some people might read this and say Savage needs to toughen up, people don’t mean it, it’s just an opinion of one person but that opinion can hurt you. Fans are absolutely entitled to their opinion but when it borders onto that personal abuse someone needs to call it out. You can’t call me that, you can’t say that, it’s not nice, it’s not fair. Some people will just never listen, some people will go about their business and it makes them feel better abusing you then fair play."