The fall-out from Roy Carroll's decision not to participate in the pre-match handshake before Cliftonville and Linfield's fixture in the Danske Bank Premiership yesterday continues as Cliftonville boss Barry Gray has called on the Northern Irish goalkeeper to explain himself.
Prior to yesterday's tie, Carroll decided to stride past the line instead of engaging in the traditional pre-match handshake.
Why’d Roy Carroll not shake @cliftonvillefc players hands today? pic.twitter.com/qmb1aRcA1I
— Chris white (@mrcwhite86) August 25, 2018
The act proved divisive online and several Cliftonville players took to Twitter in the aftermath of the game.
Big roy Carroll telling me to fuck back south lol he not realise I do guest list for the royal bar on Sandy row now 😂😂😂
— garry breen (@garrybreen) August 25, 2018
Wouldn’t give them the time of day!! Enjoy your night 😂😂🙌🙌
— Joe Gormley (@JoeGormley19) August 25, 2018
Speaking on BBC Sport NI's Irish League Show, the Cliftonville manager suggested Carroll should be asked for an explanation and claimed it was a need to be "centre stage."
If he was in my team, I would have a massive issue with it. Only he can tell why he decided to do that. For me, it's a 'fair play' handshake. He's decided not to carry that out.
I don't run Linfield. I don't manage them. I'm not too worried what he does or what he doesn't do. He wants to be (in) the limelight. There were lot of instances yesterday where he got that.
