James Milner blasts new Premier League initiative: 'Absolute no-go!'
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The Premier League veteran has seen it all during his long career
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The Premier League have introduced a new initiative to bring cameras into the dressing room for broadcasts - and James Milner is having none of it.
The move comes in a wave of new initiatives for the Premier League to enhance the quality of broadcasting as part of a new TV deal with Sky Sports and TNT Sports.
For example, managers and players will now give brief interviews at half-time, and cameramen will be allowed to go further onto the pitch to capture celebrations in more detail.
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But it is the camera encroaching on the dressing room that has caused the most fuss, although clubs do have the power to refuse this access.
James Milner is entering his 24th Premier League season
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Speaking to The Athletic, Milner discussed how significantly the game has changed over the past two decades, particularly focusing on youth players and the coverage.
For example, Arsenal were forced to thrust 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri into the spotlight after Bukayo Saka’s injury last year, but this was not a concern - the youngster had already made his first-team debut aged just 15.
Max Dowman, 15, has also starred throughout pre-season, playing in front of a packed Emirates or touring the world with the Gunners.
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Max Dowman, 15, has starred for Arsenal during their pre-season tour
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“They’re having proper training sessions at academies three times a week from eight years of age,” the Brighton veteran said. “They’re playing tournaments all over the world in front of big crowds, getting used to it.
“It is more natural in some ways. There’s all the support they have in academies these days. They’re treated as professionals from a very early age.
“But the money, the social media, the hype… I don’t think any of that makes it easier. It becomes so easy to get ahead of yourself. It’s all thrust on them so early and there’s no hiding place for them, just because they’re amazing at football and playing first team at 16, 17, 18.
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“Everything is so public. There is talk about having cameras in dressing rooms, which, for me, is an absolute no-go. That can’t happen.”
Milner, after agreeing to stay on at the Seagulls for an extra year, looks set to extend his current record of 23 Premier League seasons - the most of any player in history.
Another record he is looking to make his is the Premier League appearances. The 39-year-old currently sits just 15 games behind the record holder Gareth Barry, who reached an astonishing 653.
Milner made his debut in the league at 16 for Leeds United back in 2002, and hilariously discussed family members of his current dressing room that he also shared the pitch with at the start of the millennium.
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The English veteran is only 15 appearances away from becoming the highest-capped player in the Premier League
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“We were working it out the other day and 15 of the lads [at Brighton] weren’t even born when I made my debut, something daft like that.
“There are lads I played with at the start of my career whose sons I’m now playing with or against: Justin Kluivert, I played with his dad [Patrick] at Newcastle; I played with Bobby Clark at Liverpool and played with his dad [Lee] at Newcastle; Tommy Watson’s girlfriend is Ian Harte’s daughter.”
As Milner enters his 24th Premier League campaign, the three-time Premier League winner announced a touching tribute after the tragic death of his former team-mate Diogo Jota.
The former Liverpool star will wear Jota’s famed No20, now retired on Merseyside, to remember the Portuguese star.
If Milner were to break the Premier League appearance record, it would be a touching and emotional shirt to get him over the line.