I don't like what he's done, "modern footballers" etc, but if he's mentally strong enough, which I believe he is or he wouldn't have requested the interview, then he's now pretty much in a win-win situation.
The apology made, if he plays on, then everything's cool and he's just "stated what everyone's been saying".
If he's sold, then he's "been forced out for stating what everyone's been saying".
Also, the comparisons about "if I said that to my boss" are just a non-starter. We all know that the world of football employment bears zero resemblance to real life, on every single scenario possible.