Gareth Southgate insists England footballers face greater pitfalls than in cricket
Thursday 28 September 2017 17:14, UK
England's footballers could not enjoy the freedom cricketers do as they face more people trying to "trip them up", says Gareth Southgate.
England cricketer Ben Stokes was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm after an incident in Bristol in the early hours of Monday morning. The 26-year-old was released by police without charge, pending further investigation.
England had beaten West Indies by 124 runs in their third one-day international in Bristol on Sunday, with Stokes scoring 73. The all-rounder will not be considered for selection for England international matches until further notice.
The Football Association previously came under criticism when former captain Wayne Rooney was pictured drinking until late in the presence of FA employees. The governing body said it would review the way England players use their free time while on international duty following the incident.
Southgate, England's football manager, has now admitted his players could not be given the same time off as their cricket equivalents, as they would be more vulnerable to pitfalls.
"I don't think our guys could have that freedom because there is more people wanting to get involved with them, looking to trip them up," Southgate said at a press conference on Thursday.
"So we have to be a bit more secure around our team."
Southgate highlighted a difference in "culture" between the two sports, with England's cricket team spending longer periods on tour.
Previous England football managers have imposed greater restrictions on the squad when away for major tournaments, with Fabio Capello banning the players' wives and girlfriends from visiting at the 2010 World Cup, except after each game.
Southgate insists he will not adopt such a strict strategy should his side reach next year's tournament in Russia.
"In a tournament, I'm very conscious that we want them to see their families," Southgate said.
"They've got to get out of the bubble, the danger is you're just camped in one hotel all the time and I don't think that's a natural environment for anybody."
Southgate added: "We look very carefully about when we give players free time, how we control that. But the biggest thing is the commitment of the players to understand the guidelines, what is acceptable, what isn't."
