The situation was further aggravated by stories of McManaman and best friend Robbie Fowler's lifestyles off the pitch following an interview with the magazine "Loaded", which depicted the duo as hedonists and 'scally' characters, as well as stories about McManaman and Fowler's lack of decorum and disruptive influence in the dressing room. McManaman responded by joining "The Times" to write a weekly column, becoming the first footballer of his generation to do so. McManaman's columns were known for articulating opinions on matters from a player's perspective, and in one particular column, discussed the issue of how the Bosman ruling impacted the future of the English game with "cut price imports" that threatened local development, while also proposing the increasing of odds for smaller teams to beat big clubs by having the League Cup reduced to a single leg affair, thus enabling players to be better rested as well. By 1998, following the success of his well regarded columns, he also began writing monthly pieces for Esquire magazine.