'I'm a former Premier League player – and my diet is why I'm still going at 37'
Adrian Mariappa is 37 years old and is approaching the end of his career – but he doesn’t see any need to slow down.
The former Watford defender is now playing for Salford City in League Two, where the physical side of the game is of the utmost importance. Mariappa remains a robust presence in Karl Robinson’s side – and he credits his longevity to what he eats. Or rather, what he doesn’t.
Mariappa changed to a plant-based diet at the start of the 2017/18 season during his second spell at Watford. His decision came after discovering, via an intolerance test conducted at previously club Crystal Palace, that his body did not react well to eating dairy products and eggs. Over the next few years, he did some research and trialled alternatives before reaching his conclusion to go plant-based.
“I felt it had a big impact on inflammation, especially on my tendons,” Mariappa told Mirror Football. “I had tendonitis on my knees and that cleared up – I don’t have it anymore. That was the catalyst to cutting out pretty much all animal products from my diet and it’s something I’ve stuck to ever since.”
Mariappa is speaking during Green Football Weekend, an initiative which is trying to encourage football fans to eat more veggie meals to help the environment. His route to a plant-based diet came for different reasons, but it has had an incredible effect, seeing him become an investor in eco-friendly football boots Sokito.
Premier League urged to take climate crisis action for Green Football Weekend
“You don’t know what would have happened if I had stayed on my previous diet, but since that time I’ve missed three games through injury,” he said. “I’m obviously over 30 and I’m playing in League Two now, where I am probably running more than I ever have in my career. I’m still hitting top speeds of 34.5kph – they’re good numbers for any centre-half, especially one at my age.
“I’m able to put myself through training every day and be available. I always wanted to play as long as I can and it’s tied in nicely. A common misconception of going plant-based is that it will affect your performance. If I felt it had, I probably would have reversed my decision. But so far I’ve been thriving on it and it’s just part of my lifestyle now.”
Adrian Mariappa hasn't lost his turn of pace (Jess Hornby/Getty Images)Mariappa has made over 500 appearances in club football and has also turned out 64 times for Jamaica. He made his debut back in 2005, so has been around long enough to see the societal changes which have paved the way for his transformation.
“I think society has changed and become a bit more open-minded,” he said. “There are a lot more options. Society has shifted and I’ve never had any troubles or dramas with that sort of thing. Lots of footballers follow different diets now and the clubs will want to maximise how the player feels and what is best for them, so more often than not they are willing to cater to them because everyone is different.
“When I first decided to make the decision, I got quite a bit of banter about it. One thing I found though was that the meals I was getting looked so good that a lot of the boys were trying them anyway. I’m always open to have conversations about it. I don’t try to put it in peoples’ faces; people just see that I’m eating differently and ask questions about it, which I’m always happy to answer.”
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