10 February 2023 , 14:23
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Former Premier League players who are without a club have taken to organising competitive matches amongst themselves as a way to stay fit.
The cut-throat nature of football at the highest level means that many players get released and struggle to find a new team. While looking for a way back into the big time, there is only so much gym work and solo running drills that one man can take.
That is why a group of players – a mix of recent top-flight and retired professionals – decided to start getting together regularly for a tune up. The matches, which are much more than casual kick-arounds, take place around the footballer hotbed of Cheshire.
Pitches are booked and referees hired, with the losing team paying the bill at the end. The secret world of the recently retired and those looking to break back into the game has been revealed in an interview Danny Simpson has given to The Telegraph.
Simpson, who was a part of Leicester ’s Premier League winning side in 2016, says those involved include Stephen Ireland, Danny Drinkwater, Joleon Lescott, Nedum Onuoha, John O’Shea, Ravel Morrison and Phil Bardsley.
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The WhatsApp group is run by former Manchester City midfielder Ireland, who helps recruits new members, but is a harsh taskmaster when it comes to the admin.
Stephen Ireland is the leader of the WhatsApp group (Getty Images)“People realised I wasn’t playing, and I think if you’re out of contract, someone will end up trying to recruit you,” Simpson said. “You get kicked out if you haven’t paid your loser’s fee, though!”
Ireland, 36, has been without a club since leaving Bolton in 2018. Drinkwater was released by Chelsea upon the expiry of his contract in the summer after a spell on loan with Reading. Morrison is still contracted to DC United in the MLS, but has been back in the UK during the season break.
O’Shea retired as a footballer in 2019 and now works as a coach at Stoke. Bardsley is still playing with Stockport County, while Onuoha works as a pundit in the media following his retirement.
Ravel Morrison has taken part in the matches (Getty Images)Simpson left Bristol City last March and has been looking for a new professional club ever since. The 36-year-old right-back started his career at Manchester United and went on to play for Newcastle, QPR, Leicester and Huddersfield before a brief stint at Bristol City.
The matches help players stay fit and keep the competitive juices flowing, but they also have a deeper use. Simpson believes players often struggle when they are left to their own devices, without the routine of training and the warmth of the dressing room environment.
He is trying to attract support from the Professional Footballers Association and Premier League to put on pre-season training camps for club-less professionals.
He said: “One of the hardest things, I found, was when your mates go back to pre-season and you’re sitting on your own at home waiting for your phone to ring. Waiting for your next opportunity can be tough."