Footballers who broke coronavirus restrictions ‘should know better’

Watford captain Troy Deeney has criticised players who broke coronavirus restrictions over Christmas and New Year.

A number of players from several Premier League clubs were pictured at gatherings that contravened the strict rules put in place to try to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Deeney told talkSPORT: “When it doesn’t affect you, if you haven’t had anyone suffer with Covid, you start going, ‘how much longer do I have to live like this?’ Especially as players, you feel superhuman, like nothing will get me. And you do take it for granted.

“The only thing I would say is, look at the year we’ve just had, it’s been horrible for everybody, but we are in a privileged position.

“I’m going to upset a few people with what I say here but: you know better. We know better as players. Don’t be posting (on social media) and then be going, ‘Why are people coming for me?’
“When you’re in the public eye you know your responsibility and you know your role.”

There have been calls for players who break the rules to be banned, but Deeney believes that needs to come from the authorities rather than self-policing by clubs.

He said: “They won’t do that because ultimately it comes down to winning games. It’s on the Premier League to make that call and the FA.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola also spoke out on the issue over the weekend, saying he considers the Benjamin Mendy issue closed after the full-back admitted hosting friends at his house on New Year’s Eve in a breach of coronavirus restrictions.

City expressed their “disappointment” and said they would launch an internal investigation after a report in The Sun claimed Mendy allowed a chef and two friends of his partner to attend his Cheshire home, despite regulations which prevent people from different households from mixing indoors.

Mendy was an unused substitute for the 3-1 win at Chelsea despite the controversy, and after the match Pep Guardiola defended the decision to include the player in his matchday squad.

Asked if he had considered leaving out Mendy, the Catalan said: “No, he’s part of the group, he’s one of the good guys. It must be love in our group. He’s a special guy for all of us, he has an incredible heart.

“I would like to see how many people judge him if they have the good intentions he has.
“It would be better if, before we judge others, we judge ourselves.

“I’m not justifying that, he broke the rules. But don’t give too many lessons to others.
“Of course it was not correct what he has done, but don’t judge him too much. Maybe many people have done the same. It’s easy to judge others.”