Former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas has now weighed in on the controversy surrounding Ben White after he rejected an England call-up.
Fabregas, a World Cup winner with Spain, as well as a former Arsenal captain, played alongside some world-class players with Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea, and a lot of International talent.
White has been criticised recently for denying a call-up, which was revealed to be following a fallout with Gareth Southgate and Steve Holland, as comments were made about his apparent disinterest in football beyond his professional duties.
However, Fabregas has now defended the 26-year-old’s stance, claiming that there were a lot of other players he encountered during his playing days, who like White, would have little interest in following football beyond their own duties.
Cesc Fabregas defends Arsenal star Ben White after England controversy
Speaking on the Planet Premier League Podcast, Fabregas claimed that White’s apparent disinterest in football is not a new occurrence, and that his attitude is one which should not be vilified.
“I think it’s the society we live in at the moment. And I go back again to what I always say it’s all about the money. Footballers get paid a lot of money. And it feels like they should all be focusing on football, no matter what. And they should be an example for everything, and you cannot make mistakes,” he stated.
“Every error is being punished, double or triple a normal human being. It’s the life we are in. One that we have to accept, one that we need to carry on our shoulders. And that’s it.
“I know plenty of guys, and of course, I will not mention names, that they finish training sessions and they just want to go home because they don’t really love football.
“They love playing football, they really enjoy it, the competition. They are competitors, they are winners. They like the moment, that hour and a half, two hours of being there.
“But after that, they don’t watch football. They don’t want anything to do with football. It is weird. It is not something that happens very often. Maybe only five percent of the players are like that. But it is what it is, and we have to respect it.”
Ben White has the right balance when it comes to Arsenal commitments
White’s teammates all believe that he is one of the toughest players in the entire squad, and one of the most committed players at the club.
The defender never shies away from a game, and has played regularly in several different positions and roles, with his recent performances reaching a top-class level.
Despite not enjoying football in his spare time, it is clear that White enjoys playing for Arsenal, and his teammates, fans and manager all know that he is well within his rights to ignore wider football as long as he continues his excellent work-ethic for his club.