Columnist Rob Barman thinks now the Qatar World Cup is over most football pundits will be happy to avoid geopolitical analysis, but not Gary Neville...

Few places are safe these days from the sort of people we used to call 'pub bores' but who now have a whole new range of platforms for their tedious views once they've left others snoozing at the bar.

We all know at least one dullard who can't resist shoehorning their opinion into every conversation, however irrelevant these unsolicited views may be to the matter in hand.

These people will happily turn a discussion on any topic into something entirely different, in order to focus on their pet grievance - usually Brexit, immigration, the government, Harry, Meghan or, if you're particularly unlucky, all of the above.

ITV football pundit Gary Neville, a man who never goes anywhere without his soapbox, has become one of our more high profile pub bores in recent years.

To be fair, Neville is paid to share his opinions, a dream come true for most who love the sound of their own voices. But while he's meant to be talking principally about football, crucially he possesses that bloody-minded willingness to steer a conversation off on a wild tangent if it suits his agenda.

The former Manchester United defender sparked a row before the World Cup final when he contrived a bit of casual government bashing into his pre-match analysis, which suddenly and inexplicably focused on public sector strikes rather than Kylian Mbappe's strike power.

'Neville definitely has a taste for droning on about current affairs. Quick, clear the bar - Gary's bought himself another pint and is looking for somewhere to sit...'

In common with the most dogged pub bores, Neville's conversational shift was less than seamless - a bit like someone talking about the cost of living crisis on Question Time and then clunkily veering off topic to air their concerns over Arsenal's back four.

At least Neville is the sort of pub bore you can easily escape without being impolite, either by switching channels, putting on the kettle or just talking over him about something equally irrelevant. But the irony is that he's actually harming the cause he apparently supports. Like all attention-seekers, he surely knows that the story now becomes about Gary Neville, rather than the wider issues.

Now the Qatar World Cup is over, most other football pundits will probably be relieved to escape the burden of offering geopolitical analysis alongside their thoughts on Lionel Messi's place in the game's history. But Neville definitely has a taste for droning on about current affairs.

Quick, clear the bar - Gary's bought himself another pint and is looking for somewhere to sit...

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