McMANAMAN IRRITATED BY DRINKING REPORTS
The Real Madrid star and Robbie Fowler were out on Tuesday and after Steven Gerrard's antics, came in for a storm of disapproval, they were always going to receive a similar reaction.
However, McManaman slammed the over-reaction of the tabloids to his own situation, indeed mistruths and rumours appear to have formed the basis for many of the reports.
Speaking in his column in the Sport Telegraph, McManaman said: "I was there (the Living Room bar in Liverpool) with Robbie and a couple of mates. I had just flown in from Spain and had met up with some friends and family for a few drinks and something to eat. We left between 9.30 and 10 - pm that is.
"It is laughable, really, the way a few hours of harmless socialising - five days before today's World Cup qualifying match and the day before we were due to join up with the England squad - gets picked up and distorted.
"We've all laughed off this latest run of 'drinking storm' exclusives, but there is also a sadness that this is the main talking point before England's biggest game for years.
"With this afternoon's game against Greece, we are poised to qualify outright for the 2002 World Cup finals, which would be a fantastic achievement after the way this campaign started. And yet it is being undermined by people intent on finding only negatives in players' approaches.
"I am a 29-year-old professional footballer, competing at the top level, and find it offensive that people can suggest I can't go out for a drink and a meal five days before a match. The next thing, they'll be questioning the suitability of what I ate.
"Of course there have been high-profile cases, with the likes of George Best and Gazza, but their self-confessed problems have no bearing on players going out to unwind with a few mates.
"In Spain the press never report on players' off-duty lives. But then, as any visitor to Spain knowns, nobody eats until after midnight anyway. And, as in Italy, it is normal for players to have a beer or two before a meal, and have wine on the table, the night before a match."
McManaman also sympathised with Gerrard, saying: "Where I could laugh at my situation yesterday, I felt a bit sorry for him, a youngster getting all this undeserved flak. People say we should be careful where we go when we go out, but to suggest that we can't go to a restaurant or bar five days before our next match is ridiculous.
"If there had been a fight, or drunken staggerings towards abusive fans, then fair enough anybody is open to criticism, but that wasn't the case."
Speaking about his role in the team, McManaman admitted: "I'm finding it a bit frustrating. Everyone wants to play from the start and I'm torn between two loyalties. Real Madrid got beaten on Wednesday and we've got a game at home today where we need the three points.
"I'd love to play in the World Cup qualifier and I'd love to help my club. Sitting on the bench I'm doubly penalised."
