Players Need to enjoy single life!!
IAN WRIGHT - Columnist
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Published: Today
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FOOTBALL clubs have always encouraged their players to settle down.
Most managers like them to marry and have kids in their early 20s, as it has generally been accepted that a happy home life makes a player more focused at work.
Yet I am now giving the opposite advice to mates of mine who are professional footballers and single.
What is happening to both Ashley Cole and John Terry proves the modern-day footballer should settle down only when he is totally ready for commitment.
Obviously, there are exceptions. It is widely accepted that Wayne Rooney has become a better player since he settled down at a relatively young age.
In general, people now marry and have kids far later than they used to.
In football, though, nothing much has changed. A lot of lads are still getting hitched early. I don't see why the rush to walk down the aisle, even if the club manager says he would rather see his team all playing happy families.
I have also told my mates not to make the mistakes I made, which I regret to this day. It is better to go out and date plenty of women, providing they, of course, are also single.
Managers of the big clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal would surely not worry if their stars were scoring off the field providing they were behaving.
Of course, you do not want your staff playing away with the ex-girlfriends of their team-mates, something at least one current England international is guilty of.
But the key thing for me is that if players do go out at night, they do not break curfews and are not boozing.
While the behaviour of footballers is again in the spotlight, I believe the culture of drinking alcohol within the game has improved considerably.
HE'S BAD NEWS ... how shamed Cole has been hitting headlines
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HE'S BAD NEWS ... how shamed Cole has been hitting headlines
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These days, we are not seeing many pictures of players stumbling out of nightclubs 48 hours before a game, which is at least one positive.
Yet Ashley has certainly not done himself any favours. Particularly as it now appears he has been withholding the truth from his Stamford Bridge paymasters.
The fact he smuggled a woman into the Chelsea team hotel during a pre-season trip in Seattle cannot be excused or tolerated.
I really cannot work out how he thought he was going to get away with it. He was downright stupid.
It was incredibly unprofessional. I am surprised at him.
Undoubtedly, players sometimes get women chasing them, as I found out when I was at Arsenal.
We would get on the coach to head north on a Friday and would be followed by various women in their own motors.
But George Graham was pretty smart and soon found out what was happening.
Cole certainly deserves a massive fine and a dressing down by Chelsea.
Along with what has been happening to Terry, these types of story are terrible for the club's reputation. Equally, Ashley has proved to be a bad example for the club's youngsters.
I have been down his route and it is something I am not proud of.
When you are unfaithful, there is also a ripple effect in terms of the damage you cause to other people. I have seen it first-hand and it is horrible.
I caused problems in my distant past due to my infidelity. Now I am 46 and totally settled.
Yet the bottom line is if you are in a happy, long-term relationship, you do not need to sleep around - and should not.
If I could turn back the clock, I would love to. I cannot do that, so, instead, I use my experience when I talk to young players.
But clubs should accept times have changed and players should be allowed to develop and mature when they are ready.
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Maybe Ashley settled down too early. Yet he is the best left-back in the world and I want him to recover from injury and sort himself out, on a personal basis, before the World Cup.
Fabio Capello desperately needs him in the team for South Africa, as he is such a quality player.
To be honest, it is amazing that, over the last 18 months, Ashley has played as well as he has. He has certainly been impressive for Chelsea.
Yet the big question is whether, when he returns from his spell on the sidelines, Ashley will be able to cope with all the attention.
I know Ashley, and would like to see his marriage survive.
I am sure 'Brand Cheryl' will be advising her to ditch the bloke immediately. But I would like them to give it one last go with a marriage counsellor.
Some people will say he is a piece of s**t. Equally, there are two sides to every story.
There have been two totally unrelated women who have said how intimate he was with them.
Something was obviously missing from his relationship at home, so he has decided to go elsewhere.
Maybe Cheryl has been at fault as well, with her work in a band, on hit TV shows and flying all over the world.
It seems Ashley may have felt lonely and neglected and this might have been the reason why he has had to look further afield.
I know a lot of blokes hate Ashley, because they are a bit envious. I do not blame them.
People must wonder how he has not been happy. He has been living his boyhood dream of being a professional footballer.
He lives in a massive house, has bought great cars and has a stunning wife - one of the most desirable women on this planet.
But life is not so simple. Maybe Ashley is the latest example that you can sometimes have far too much too early.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2864213/Players-need-to-enjoy-single-life.html#ixzz0gMow84HJ
IAN WRIGHT - Columnist
Email the author
Published: Today
Add a comment (32) FOOTBALL clubs have always encouraged their players to settle down.
Most managers like them to marry and have kids in their early 20s, as it has generally been accepted that a happy home life makes a player more focused at work.
Yet I am now giving the opposite advice to mates of mine who are professional footballers and single.
What is happening to both Ashley Cole and John Terry proves the modern-day footballer should settle down only when he is totally ready for commitment.
Obviously, there are exceptions. It is widely accepted that Wayne Rooney has become a better player since he settled down at a relatively young age.
In general, people now marry and have kids far later than they used to.
In football, though, nothing much has changed. A lot of lads are still getting hitched early. I don't see why the rush to walk down the aisle, even if the club manager says he would rather see his team all playing happy families.
I have also told my mates not to make the mistakes I made, which I regret to this day. It is better to go out and date plenty of women, providing they, of course, are also single.
Managers of the big clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal would surely not worry if their stars were scoring off the field providing they were behaving.
Of course, you do not want your staff playing away with the ex-girlfriends of their team-mates, something at least one current England international is guilty of.
But the key thing for me is that if players do go out at night, they do not break curfews and are not boozing.
While the behaviour of footballers is again in the spotlight, I believe the culture of drinking alcohol within the game has improved considerably.
HE'S BAD NEWS ... how shamed Cole has been hitting headlines
ltbx2864213
40
1
0
/sol/
1
Enlarge
HE'S BAD NEWS ... how shamed Cole has been hitting headlines
1 of 1
These days, we are not seeing many pictures of players stumbling out of nightclubs 48 hours before a game, which is at least one positive.
Yet Ashley has certainly not done himself any favours. Particularly as it now appears he has been withholding the truth from his Stamford Bridge paymasters.
The fact he smuggled a woman into the Chelsea team hotel during a pre-season trip in Seattle cannot be excused or tolerated.
I really cannot work out how he thought he was going to get away with it. He was downright stupid.
It was incredibly unprofessional. I am surprised at him.
Undoubtedly, players sometimes get women chasing them, as I found out when I was at Arsenal.
We would get on the coach to head north on a Friday and would be followed by various women in their own motors.
But George Graham was pretty smart and soon found out what was happening.
Cole certainly deserves a massive fine and a dressing down by Chelsea.
Along with what has been happening to Terry, these types of story are terrible for the club's reputation. Equally, Ashley has proved to be a bad example for the club's youngsters.
I have been down his route and it is something I am not proud of.
When you are unfaithful, there is also a ripple effect in terms of the damage you cause to other people. I have seen it first-hand and it is horrible.
I caused problems in my distant past due to my infidelity. Now I am 46 and totally settled.
Yet the bottom line is if you are in a happy, long-term relationship, you do not need to sleep around - and should not.
If I could turn back the clock, I would love to. I cannot do that, so, instead, I use my experience when I talk to young players.
But clubs should accept times have changed and players should be allowed to develop and mature when they are ready.
Advertisement
http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/fo...sz=300x250;cat=null;tile=2;ord=1266931353014?
Maybe Ashley settled down too early. Yet he is the best left-back in the world and I want him to recover from injury and sort himself out, on a personal basis, before the World Cup.
Fabio Capello desperately needs him in the team for South Africa, as he is such a quality player.
To be honest, it is amazing that, over the last 18 months, Ashley has played as well as he has. He has certainly been impressive for Chelsea.
Yet the big question is whether, when he returns from his spell on the sidelines, Ashley will be able to cope with all the attention.
I know Ashley, and would like to see his marriage survive.
I am sure 'Brand Cheryl' will be advising her to ditch the bloke immediately. But I would like them to give it one last go with a marriage counsellor.
Some people will say he is a piece of s**t. Equally, there are two sides to every story.
There have been two totally unrelated women who have said how intimate he was with them.
Something was obviously missing from his relationship at home, so he has decided to go elsewhere.
Maybe Cheryl has been at fault as well, with her work in a band, on hit TV shows and flying all over the world.
It seems Ashley may have felt lonely and neglected and this might have been the reason why he has had to look further afield.
I know a lot of blokes hate Ashley, because they are a bit envious. I do not blame them.
People must wonder how he has not been happy. He has been living his boyhood dream of being a professional footballer.
He lives in a massive house, has bought great cars and has a stunning wife - one of the most desirable women on this planet.
But life is not so simple. Maybe Ashley is the latest example that you can sometimes have far too much too early.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2864213/Players-need-to-enjoy-single-life.html#ixzz0gMow84HJ
