(FoxSports.com) – Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has called for social media executives, including Facebook and Twitter chiefs, to meet to discuss the constant negative influence footballers and others in the sports world have on their platforms.
During a visit to United’s Carrington training ground, Lukaku called for chief executives, chief operating officers and chief product officers from those companies to meet with social media companies so that social media can be used to promote people to fulfill their dreams rather than be damaged by negativity.
“It’s not about being negative, I think it’s about positive messages,” Lukaku said. “You guys need to talk to social media and show that the world is coming back to being positive. We have to stop negativity. We need to stop spreading negativity online and shows and create positive stuff. Everyone needs to speak with the management.
“At the end of the day, it’s not only us, it’s not just footballers, it’s all the people in the sports world who use social media, everyone. If they understand that it is not bad what we are doing, then they will listen to us and come back to the right direction. We will take positive influences back to social media.
“If we give positive things back to social media, I think everyone will go for positive things and positive stories. We will all be happy. This is what I want from everyone. I want to be on the leading social network so that people will want to talk with me about football and be happy about football. I want people to write about footballers. I want people to write about me and think that I’m the best. I want people to use social media to promote my dream rather than spread negativity about me.
“I think it’s important to not only do business with them but to build an alliance with them and to show them how we can be used.”
Lukaku is midway through his first season at Old Trafford and he said he took the decision to leave Everton in January for the club because it was important to challenge himself in different competitions.
“When I arrived at Man United there was one manager and I didn’t play football for two months because of my recovery and also because I had an injury,” Lukaku said. “I had a bad injury and then I came back in January. For me I really wanted to challenge myself again in a different competition. For me I think this opportunity is best.
“It was difficult but at the end of the day I wanted to play football again. I like the challenge of knowing that a good manager gives you the opportunity to be able to play on the biggest stage. Man United with the history they have, I think it’s the best competition and I’m really happy for this club and now I’m looking forward to the season.
“They have a lot of good players, a lot of goalscorers, a lot of top players and great team spirit and with everything there is not many clubs who have the chance to play in Europe.”
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