Melissa Reddy (born 24 August 1986)[1] is a South African football journalist and author. Reddy left her role as the Senior Football Correspondent at The Independent in March 2022, to become a senior reporter for Sky Sports and Sky Sports News. Her speciality is the Premier League.[2]
Career edit
Whilst studying at university, Reddy did an internship at Summit TV, a business channel in South Africa. After moving to Cape Town and joining TEAMtalk Media in 2007, and working across many sports, Reddy was Head of Football by 2011, before becoming Deputy Editor of Kick Off which is Africa's largest sport publication.[3] On both occasions, she was the first woman to hold such a post, and was also the first to feature as a football analyst on SuperSport’s marquee shows Backpages and Monday Night Football.[4][1]
Reddy became the Liverpool correspondent of Goal's 38 editions worldwide in November 2015.[5] Reddy was then football correspondent at ESPN,[6] wrote for The Athletic,[7] and became the senior football correspondent at Joe,[8] before joining The Independent as senior football correspondent in November 2019.[9]
Reddy's television appearances include Sky Sports News' Tackling Racism,[10] Sunday Supplement,[11] Red Men TV[12] and the BBC’s Premier League Show.[13] Reddy has also guested on BBC Radio 5 Live.[14]
Reddy has written for, guested and presented shows on The Anfield Wrap.[15] Reddy has also presented shows on The Football Ramble,[16] and guested on Second Captains,[17] and BT Sport’s Football Writers Podcast.[18] In 2020, Reddy started her own podcast interview series entitled Between The Lines with Melissa Reddy. Guests have included Gary Lineker, Mauricio Pochettino and Daniel Sturridge.[19]
In 2020, Reddy released her first book, entitled Believe Us: How Jürgen Klopp Transformed Liverpool Into Title Winners. The book was referenced by England national rugby union team head coach Eddie Jones as an insight into the thinking and practises of the elite team produced by Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool[20][21]
Reddy has spoken prominently about the racism and sexism she has endured in forging her career, and the barriers women face.[10]
Reddy was shortlisted in the Best Writer category in the 2021 Football Supporters' Association awards.[22]
References edit
- ^ a b "Global LFC Family: South Africa". Liverpool FC. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Melissa Reddy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "INTERVIEW: "My passion for sport was undeniable": Melissa Reddy". www.sportskeeda.com. 16 October 2012. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "gsport4girls – Melissa Reddy: A Global Success Story". 30 April 2020. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Liverpool: 'The top four is possible' - Q&A with Melissa Reddy | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Jurgen Klopp interview: Liverpool's boss on taking the job, lack of big new signings and Reds' bright future". ESPN.com. 26 July 2019. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Reddy, Melissa. "16 months after his departure, Coutinho gets front-row seat for Liverpool's relentlessness to improve". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "'I think Jurgen Klopp would find it hard to turn down the Germany job in future'". JOE.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Changes to The Independent sports team". Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Tackling Racism: BAME women need clearer pathway into football, says Melissa Reddy". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Sunday Supplement: No room for racism, more VAR confusion and Pep's frustration on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Melissa Reddy On Racism & Diversity In Football | The Newsroom Show". 5 April 2019. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Pogba 'does not deserve' to be in PFA Team". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "BBC Radio 5 live – Football Daily, Manchester United and Liverpool share the spoils, while VAR takes centre stage". BBC. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
- ^ "Melissa Reddy | | The Anfield Wrap". Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Ramble, Football. "Football Ramble – The Return of the Premier League – Episode 3: Money, Neutral Venues, and Football's Future". Google Podcasts. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Episode 1906: Melissa Reddy On The Klopp Revolution, The Special One Returns To The Top, As Does Grunge Week". 24 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Football Writers Podcast: What can Manchester United learn from Liverpool? on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ "Between The Lines with Melissa Reddy on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Eddie Jones and Liverpool connection help England 'flip the switch'". www.irishtimes.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "How Liverpool helped England to victory over Ireland". The Independent. 23 November 2020. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "FSA Awards 2021 shortlists announced". 2 November 2021. Archived from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.