Ross Barkely has turned his back on alcohol after some difficult moments, one which saw Frank Lampard make him travel to France to watch a Chelsea game from the bus
Ross Barkley was taught a harsh lesson by Frank Lampard when they were at Chelsea
Ross Barkley was taught a harsh lesson by Frank Lampard when they were at Chelsea
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Ross Barkley has gone teetotal and plans to leave alcohol alone for the remainder of his career after opening up on how booze affected his career.
The Aston Villa star has played for a number of big Premier League clubs after bursting onto the scene as a teenager at Everton, including Chelsea. Barkley played at the Blues under a number of different managers during a period in his life where he drank. Looking back he concedes it "created situations I don’t really want happening" with his mind now clear.
He recalled one occasion where a drinking session in Liverpool went south and he was videoed, which later saw him end up in the paper for the wrong reasons. Frank Lampard was in the Stamford Bridge hotseat and delivered some genuine advice, but Barkley was still punished for his actions.
The Blues legend told him it was a lesson to learn from, but still made him travel to Lille for a Champions League clash without even including him in the squad. Instead Barkley had to watch the match away from the group on the team coach.
He told the Athletic: “A few times I went out, and if you drink too much, you do things you regret. I’d go out and have too much to drink, and then it would get back to the club. One time, I went out on a Sunday in Liverpool and we had a game on a Wednesday. I got videoed, and then it was in the paper.
“We (Chelsea) had an away game in France (against Lille) and Frank Lampard was the manager. He couldn’t really say too much to me, other than learn from it and pick and choose when the right time is to do it, because he knew what it was like as a young lad.
“But the punishment was that I travelled with the team, but I wasn’t on the bench. I had to watch the game on the coach. It was hard to take. That was one occasion that has probably created a perception.”
Barkley, now a father who maintained he's "got more responsibilities", was tipped to go to the very top when he first burst onto the scene with Everton. His progress did plateau but he's been keen to reflect and learn from his experiences, speaking to a therapist.
Ross Barkley has turned his back on alcohol in an effort to maximise the rest of his career
Barkley has turned his back on alcohol in an effort to maximise the rest of his career
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He said: “You make mistakes. It’s good to speak to people and learn from mistakes and understand that throughout life, there are going to be challenges. Sometimes people struggle with their mental health; it’s good to talk to people. I’ve spoken to people, and it’s helped me. I’ve spoken to a sports psychologist. I’ve had therapy throughout my career and it’s beneficial."
Barkley is in the midst of his second stint at Villa Park. He had a spell on loan there before having a year in France with Lille and then returning home to play at Luton. Unai Emery then chose to bring him back into the Villa fold.
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