Manchester City fans know exactly what to expect from Ruben Dias’ Instagram posts by now.
Solid, sensible and purportedly motivational - you could probably knock together a Dias Insta generator to run after most City wins.
“Whenever it seems difficult keep believing, fighting and stay together,” he mused after Saturday’s dramatic and fractious 2-1 win over Arsenal in the Premier League.
“Very tough period with lots of games and many travelling but the team was there and left it all on the pitch.
“Best way to start 2022! Let’s rest now and keep the focus. Happy new year everyone from all of us!”
A week earlier on the same social media site, the Swindon Town forward Dias might be pitting his wits against in the third round of the FA Cup posted a message of Christmas goodwill.
It’s safe to say that Harry McKirdy struck a different tone.
“Merry Christmas to everyone except Spurs fans. Hope Santa bought you all a Porto 2021 DVD,” he wrote.
“He wrote” seems like a safe assumption, by the way. McKirdy’s feed definitely doesn’t read like one manicured by a social media team working to harness his brand potential.
In November, where a trademark Dias Insta highlight was “Always protect your dreams by chasing them!” as he stared off into the middle distance wearing his training kit, a grinning McKirdy posed with a glass of wine in a late-night London restaurant after collecting his winnings from a flutter on US golfer Jason Kokrak triumphing at the Houston Open on the PGA Tour.
Indeed “lots of winners on the golf” was one of the reasons listed by McKirdy - alongside Chelsea humbling Pep Guardiola’s men in the Champions League final - for 2021 being “a fantastic year, probably the best ever”.
“We’ve got a cheeky monkey up front called Harry McKirdy,” Swindon fan Dan Hunt told the Blue Moon Podcast this week.
“He’s a character. I recommend, ahead of tomorrow night’s fixture you have a look at his Instagram feed.”
Here at City is Ours , we think we've definitely proved that's a worthwhile use of your time (thanks for the tip, Dan).
But, among the Tottenham slander and golf tips, there lurks of footballer of significant talent.
A fleet-footed forward who plays off the cuff, McKirdy rattled in four goals as Ben Garner’s side thumped Northampton Town 5-2 on New Year’s Day.
He raised a glass to that too. Alas, Jason Kokrak’s Instagram made no mention of the game.
Pitting his wits against a fellow 24-year-old who appears to treat football with a sharply contrasting seriousness will be a different challenge altogether for ex-Aston Villa youngster McKirdy.
It should certainly be a fascinating watch, with City’s best centre-backs experiencing mixed fortunes in such encounters over recent years.
Tom Pope mocked John Stones before Port Vale travelled to the Etihad Stadium in January 2020 and duly scored, even though his side absorbed a 4-1 defeat.
A week after Middlesbrough shocked Manuel Pellegrini’s City in 2015, Boro forward Lee Tomlin tweeted: “My washing machine was making loads of noise I opened it and [Vincent] Kompany crawled out I must of (sic) left him in my pocket #banter.”
It looks like a similar challenge awaits Dias after McKirdy, in his latest post, claimed he was looking forward to welcoming “the Champions League runners-up” to the County Ground.
You’re not going to let him get away with that, are you Ruben?
Do you expect Ruben Dias to start at Swindon tonight? Follow the City Is Ours editor Dom Farrell on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
