The Large One
Who's Next?
I'm sorry but Andy Naylor(don't care whether he's Sports Editor or tea boy for the Sports Editor) would be more likely to have known about the newspaper going to print last Friday regarding the allegations than Richard Hebbard & Ken Barnard would be regarding tactical matters for Gus.
Highly possible, but no more would you get Gus Poyet making an official comment on the transport system, or Richard Hebberd making an official statement on any transfer news would you have Andy Naylor speaking on behalf of the News Desk.
The News Desk would almost certainly have come to him for some background on the individuals in question, but aside from that, it wasn't his department.
Therefore, it would be highly unlikely you would (or should) get a comment from him. You want a comment, you ask Lee Gibbs or better still Michael Beard. That's the way it works.