Michael Johnson.....

[grim up north]

Of course they go out and socialise, but not get pissed. Balotelli goes out, but doesn't drink alcohol. Mancini has criticised the drinking culture of young players, when he was talking about Adam Johnson and Barry's antics in Scotland last season. I think he knows what he's talking about.

"That probably means no going out to clubs, staying in, and spending more time on the training field. That may sound boring, but if you want to be the best, you have to make sacrifices"

make your mind up

Players shouldn't go out and get bladdered. Staying in, is better than going out and getting wasted.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jun/02/daniel-taylor-michael-johnson" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... el-johnson</a>

Lee Sharpe tells a story, going back to his days at Manchester United, of sitting in the canteen one day and hearing a dull, repetitive thud outside. Eventually he went out to investigate and was bemused to find Gary Neville, on his own, throwing a ball against the gym wall. "As hard as he could, over and over again," Sharpe recalls. "Practising long throws, Gary Neville's idea of fun."

Not quite. This was not Neville's idea of fun, more the realisation of what he had to do to make the best of himself. Another time, Sharpe remembers Neville abandoning a night out after his team-mates suggested they went to a nightclub. "He said he didn't like nightclubs. 'Sorry,' I said. 'Run that past me again, Gary. You don't like nightclubs? In nightclubs there's beer, decent music, women, what exactly is there not to like?' But he was insistent: 'No, I don't like nightclubs, they're not my scene.' And off he toddled."

It is easy to mock, or patronise, but only if you want to overlook the fact it was this form of dedication that helped Neville make almost 600 appearances for the club, as well as winning 85 England caps. In football, as Neville always appreciated, it needs more than just talent to sustain a career at the top. Sharpe had a different outlook and, without wishing to be cruel, his Wikipedia page now describes him as "best known for appearing in Celebrity Love Island". Or consider what has happened to Michael Johnson and, specifically, where he was supposed to be at this point in his life and what, in reality, has come of him now we are rubbernecking at what's left of his career.

Neville is still shite, ugly and got fuck all personality he is better throwing a ball against a wall.

The fact is our players have more talent than that numpty would ever have. AND THEY STILL GO OUT

 

[Palerider]

Nobody gets it all in life. Going out and getting pissed are not the actions of a "winner". Because football is a team game many players get away with being under par and hide behind their teammates. Being a winner in any sport these days demands total dedication, discipline and determination and that assumes you have the ability in the first place. I'm not interested in whether Hello, OK magazine or the Sun finds them newsworthy. If you want to be the best footballer you can be then you behave yourself and look after your mind and body. You never hear of Bolt, Nadal, Woods or any of our cyclists going out on the piss. We all have choices.

 

[Bluebee2]

what planet are you living on of course they go out.

Milner, Dzeko, Nasri, Yaya and Kolo do not drink. I believe Silva only drinks with the occasional meal. Kompany only drank out on the town following QPR. The likes of Hart, Balo and old Johnno were the big drinkers. Most of our players have wives and children.

and your point is. he was banging on about them not going out. Do you have to have a drink if you go out.

Obviously not, but Johnson does and way too much, judging by his criminal record.

 

[kenkladze]

What has being injured got to do with drink driving ?

Yes we all make mistakes, but some are not mistakes ie drink driving ....Twice. That is just blatant disregard for other people and the consequences it may have on them if he has an accident.

So for me he is not a person to feel sorry for. Plus if he has mental issues there is more than enough opportunities in football for him to get these addressed.

Anyone caught drink driving once, let alone twice, needs the book throwing at them and rightly so. However, not every case is cut and dry, as depression comes in different guises and effects peoples judgement in different ways.

These people need help and support to get them through, not throwing on the scrapheap or being publicly humilated by fans of team he once played for who know very little of his personal circumstances.

Tell you what Craggers, first go and speak to the families that have been devastated by the actions of selfish tw*ts that thought, 'one for the road won't hurt' and then ploughed into someones relative, and then come back on this forum and see if your thoughts have changed. FFS, don't you accept that people have to take responsibility for their actions and not plead, "You have to understand my problems". You obviously are an intelligent person, but, for God's sake, just get rid of your 'holier than thou' attitude.

 

[cleavers]

Milner, Dzeko, Nasri, Yaya and Kolo do not drink. I believe Silva only drinks with the occasional meal. Kompany only drank out on the town following QPR. The likes of Hart, Balo and old Johnno were the big drinkers. Most of our players have wives and children.

Really, do you have a link for that ?

 

[Tony101]

What has being injured got to do with drink driving ?

Yes we all make mistakes, but some are not mistakes ie drink driving ....Twice. That is just blatant disregard for other people and the consequences it may have on them if he has an accident.

So for me he is not a person to feel sorry for. Plus if he has mental issues there is more than enough opportunities in football for him to get these addressed.

Anyone caught drink driving once, let alone twice, needs the book throwing at them and rightly so. However, not every case is cut and dry, as depression comes in different guises and effects peoples judgement in different ways.

These people need help and support to get them through, not throwing on the scrapheap or being publicly humilated by fans of team he once played for who know very little of his personal circumstances.

Tell you what Craggers, first go and speak to the families that have been devastated by the actions of selfish tw*ts that thought, 'one for the road won't hurt' and then ploughed into someones relative, and then come back on this forum and see if your thoughts have changed. FFS, don't you accept that people have to take responsibility for their actions and not plead, "You have to understand my problems". You obviously are an intelligent person, but, for God's sake, just get rid of your 'holier than thou' attitude.

Well said mate. There's no excuse for scumbag who has no consideration for other by drinking and driving

 

[alky313]

Milner, Dzeko, Nasri, Yaya and Kolo do not drink. I believe Silva only drinks with the occasional meal. Kompany only drank out on the town following QPR. The likes of Hart, Balo and old Johnno were the big drinkers. Most of our players have wives and children.

Really, do you have a link for that ?

As far as what? That they actually drink rather than our alcohol abstaining Muslim contingent? You can google that. Plenty of pictures and quotes of Mario smoking, drinking etc. The overall consensus that Adam Johnson was the Anti-Milner. Hart as well drinks more than most of our field players you can pick up a tabloid and read it.

Even Vincent Kompany got blasted after QPR. Stop being sensitive I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying when identifying such "drinkers" we actually have a lot less than most other English teams.

 

[stony]

Milner, Dzeko, Nasri, Yaya and Kolo do not drink. I believe Silva only drinks with the occasional meal. Kompany only drank out on the town following QPR. The likes of Hart, Balo and old Johnno were the big drinkers. Most of our players have wives and children.

Really, do you have a link for that ?

As far as what? That they actually drink rather than our alcohol abstaining Muslim contingent? You can google that. Plenty of pictures and quotes of Mario smoking, drinking etc. The overall consensus that Adam Johnson was the Anti-Milner. Hart as well drinks more than most of our field players you can pick up a tabloid and read it.

Even Vincent Kompany got blasted after QPR. Stop being sensitive I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying when identifying such "drinkers" we actually have a lot less than most other English teams.

He was asking about Balo, who I seem to recall is pretty much teetotal.

 

[squirtyflower]

Really, do you have a link for that ?

As far as what? That they actually drink rather than our alcohol abstaining Muslim contingent? You can google that. Plenty of pictures and quotes of Mario smoking, drinking etc. The overall consensus that Adam Johnson was the Anti-Milner. Hart as well drinks more than most of our field players you can pick up a tabloid and read it.

Even Vincent Kompany got blasted after QPR. Stop being sensitive I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying when identifying such "drinkers" we actually have a lot less than most other English teams.

He was asking about Balo, who I seem to recall is pretty much teetotal.

Balo spends a hell of a lot of money on alcohol, and then sips cool water whilst his mates get hammered
Hart as simmered down immensely since the debacle at that scottish university with barry and johnson

 

[JamesA]

Who on earth signed Michael Johnson to a 5 year contract in 2009!??

Our club seems really good at giving lengthy contracts to idiots. Danny Mills anyone?

Fair enough Johnson played well in his breakthroguh season, but if he signed for 5 years in 2009, that would have been whilst he had a bad injury and with the background noise of him clearly going out and getting pissed a lot. 5 year contract would appear to be rather financially daft.