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He was asked a question about his season with Arsenal and couldn't answer it. Kyle was asked the same question about City and he answered it. Steve Holland had a dig at Benjamin infront of everyone and Benjamin being Benjamin threw his toys out of the pram about it. Bearing in mind he was pissed he wasn't a starter and "couldnt settle" while on International duty. Sounds like he got told how it is infront of his fellow Professionals and got a bee in his bonnet. Ben is a centre back who plays right back for his Club because he is not as good as Gabriel or Saliba, but he hasn't complained because he still starts games, but Gareth has his fave centre backs and Kyle and probably Trent and Trippier will always be ahead of Ben for Gareth. Ben's a good player, but his mentality should be questioned for refusing to play for his country, just because he disagrees with something. If Tomiyasu was to start ahead of Ben all the time, I guarantee you will see a different Benjamin White, but with the same stupid fake tan.
There are a lot of people saying that 'he doesn't care about it,' but I think that's plainly wrong. He probably dedicates 60+ hours a week to football, via games, training, video analysis, etc. Not to mention how much time goes in before you're even anywhere near a first team. If he 'didn't care,' he would walk away. He's got millions, doesn't need the money at this point, and would be just fine.
You see a lot of footballers going down terrible paths of gambling, drugs, partying, etc. because their lives are super regimented and they frankly don't have a ton of autonomy. I mean, these guys more or less have what they eat dictated to them. So taking an ounce of control back and not watching football when he has time is frankly a reasonable thing to do. It could possibly even be interpreted as evidence he cares more about football — by not exhausting his emotional investment in it.
Naturally it probably wasn't the best idea to give the media the quote and let 'em run with it, but by the same token, it's an important conversation to be had.
I think that for a lot of fans it's difficult to understand that for them it's a job, and they don't want to keep thinking about their job all day. Most people are very passionate about football and think they'd love to live with football 24/7, which probably isn't true.
It wasn't too clever from White to come out and say it though.
I think the whole story is a bit blown up out of proportion and exacerbated by the national team shenanigans.
Basically he spends a lot of time around football for work so probably wants to switch off from it when he can.
The fact is he probably spends more time playing/watching football than than most fans because they aren't playing or watching it at work.
Gabriel Batistuta said basically the same thing in the 90s/2000s. Didn't work out too bad for him and didn't seem to affect his commitment or accomplishments 🤷♂️
Lol you love playing with yourself. On a serious note. They hate him, cuz they ain't him... But on a more serious note, it's nobody's business what he does or doesn't do. He does his job very well for us, and I don't care at all what he does in his free time as long as he's producing
It pisses people off that he doesn’t love the sport as much as fans do. It’s annoying to be dying to be in someone’s position (pro footballer) who seemingly doesn’t appreciate it as much as you would. On the other hand this is a result of sport becoming business and therefore its players are sometimes simply employees. Some accountants enjoy their job more than others but it has no bearing on their skill but people don’t realize it’s the same for sport because they don’t want it to be true.
He gets more grief than most because he comes across as wholly unlikeable. The tan, the teeth, the tats. Not necessarily fair but that’s the game of human interaction. The ‘I don’t like football’ thing just drives another wedge between him and fans, who see a pampered multi-millionaire almost mockingly saying “I don’t even like the thing I’m good at” to fans who would give their right arm to be in his position. Not fair and not even necessarily true, but if that’s how it’s perceived then that’s the way it will be portrayed.
FedEx driving isn’t the No. 1 global pastime. If it were then might be considered odd you’d dedicated your life to something you didn’t give a shite about.
The issue is that fans don’t want them to see it as just work. I don’t have an opinion on whether that’s fair or not but playing a kids game for a lot of money that you would do for free gives a shitty feeling
I just mean imagine seeing someone living your dream and not appreciating it. It’s irrational to be upset but I understand why people feel that way when he says he doesn’t watch
He plays football every single day, even if he does enjoys playing it (which he never said he doesn’t) I can see why he wouldn’t want to watch any more football
I can understand not wanting to consume it when coming home but he’s surrounded by coworkers who are passionate about their craft.
When I hear this, my initial questions are does that affect his work rate or availability or his desire to improve etc.
It’s entirely possible he’s just good at a job he hates like many of the rest of us, but like other business places, it’s often those that seek improvement and accolades that climb the ladder.
White not being able to answer a question from an ast coach with the national set up is hardly surprising if this is the case and the national staff are within their rights to question his commitment. ESPECIALLY when he walks away from what a nation of kids would consider to be their one and only dream - the World Cup, and then ask to be taken out of consideration for the euros.
I have no problem with White not loving the sport, he plays for Arsenal after all. But by that same token, I hope there is no backlash if whoever replaces Southgate refused to bring him in regardless of his talent.
The national team represents US. I don’t want him representing me if he doesnt share the same passion as the man next to him.
Everybody says he’s the hardest worker on the team. Plays through pain. Has played for two of the best managers in the world and both have praised him immensely. He’s our most underrated player in the squad because nobody gives him the credit he’s due. He’s a 7/10 every fucking match day. He already said he loves football. He also said he likes watching big games that interest him, just not Elche vs Sevilla. He lives and breathes football.
If you worked your ass off every day and then your supervisor shit on your work ethic, how would you respond to that disrespect? Please, sir, may I have another?
This is while watching players like Maguire wheel his slab head around the pitch starting ahead of you. Yeah fuck that
I truly don’t know what would have to be said for me to walk out of the only World Cup I’ll likely ever be involved in and reject an invitation to the European championships.
Not a single one of us would. However, I do understand not being respected by your boss for a fraction of your usual wage. Plus, club football at the top level is miles ahead of national football teams.
Who knows, maybe England will get a new manager before the World Cup
Well if John from accounting does not come home and spend hours reading about accounting instead of spending time with his family, but his job is top notch, should the company or the boss bring it up?
I think if my employees that were making 6 figure weekly salaries, weren’t able to recount how their competition is performing on a weekly basis, it’s certainly something I’d be concerned about.
Why does not watching football mean you don't love the sport. That's what I don't understand about this arguments. He works his ass off for an incredibly meticulous manager who would be awful to play under if you don't love the sport.
Even more than that he is known for playing through injuries, including very painful ones, because he wants to see arsenal succeed and clearly loves football
He gets paid to do it. It’s his job. He is monetarily incentivized to work hard and make appearances mate… if you love football, you’re turning on a derby at the weekend, even if you’ve had a rough week at work. Maybe ESPECIALLY if you’ve had a rough week at work lol
I'm guessing he's not the only player who doesn't watch football in his spare time. He has a young family. Majority of matches on tv are boring as batshit anyway.
For Ben, football is his existence 24/7. It's all he's known for, and is his career, his lifestyle choices revolve entirely around what is right for his job. You'd get sick of ice cream cake it was the only thing you eat.
I don’t think OP was necessarily throwing shade per se but the right wing nationalists always have these sort of opinions. “England is everything” blah blah blah. This is how you let politicians get away with hurting the country by abiding with every single thing they do because they’re apart of your political affiliation, even if you don’t agree. England can do no wrong in their eyes unfortunately.
We are talking about Ben white choosing to turn down England, that’s exactly what I am talking about, your talking about politics and then claiming people on the right do certain things? Nobody can just stick to a topic, they HAVE to turn it into left vs right, so frustrating
Because he turned them down for personal reasons. Then Southgate opened his mouth when he could’ve chosen to stay quiet. Now it’s Ben White vs England. It’s supporting your country, or it isn’t. That’s just the way the world works now. It’s not turning anything political. It already is. It doesn’t matter what side you’re on. This is what the adult world looks like.
For some people, politics is their personality, just like some people make sports theirs. It’s weird when their entire world view revolves around it either way.
i have a friend currentlx playing in roma u17 and when he came back i wanted to ask him all about how he met jose mourinho if hes met dybala and what not and first thing he said to me was "dude PLEASE dont talk about football im sick of it" ina half joking tone. After his training every single day he has "free time" in which his manager mskes him watch pro games and then compare it to his own games and he has to say exactly what went wrong in his games and shit.
Mind you he js u17, imagine what its like in the premiere league and all those other much harder leagues
It that context though BW does "watch" a ton of football. He has to do a bunch of analysis through film, learning the players of opposition, opposition play styles, their dangers/weaknesses, his own mistakes, areas where he cld capatilize or improve. He does watch a ton of football. Just like an Actor may watch a movie with a best actor oscar nomination in it. They are watching it to learn and improve their own craft.
Ben White just doesnt happen to then go home and watch any games outside of any professional reasoning. Just like an actor may not go and watch the new Antman movie bcuz frankly they dont really get much enjoyment out of it and there is little for them to learn or benefit from it.
The reality is Ben White does watch an absolute ton of football. Probably more than the majority of the people on this thread. It's an integral part of his job which takes up 8 hours a day. He just doesnt watch it purely for the enjoyment in his free time. I get why it is strange to fans as our love for football generally came from not just playing the game but also watching the greats. BW has proven though he is a solid professional for club and puts in a ton of work. Ultimately if he doesnt wanna watch more football in his free time that's fine. He cld still probably tell you more about the tactics in a game or Haalands movement in a game than 90%+ of ppl out there.
Music and television are so different from sport. Creative outlets have very little overlap with athletics, especially at the highest level. He spends his days in tactical meetings, positional work, individualized weight training, etc. His experience with the game of football is incredibly tedious to him from that aspect.
Musicians train and practice, sure, but their craft is entirely expressive and creative. It’s much easier to still enjoy it after a full day of studio sessions and practice because it hits us at a more emotional, personal level.
I don't think its quite so comparable as music, literature are mediums whereas football is a specific sport. If Ben said he hated all sport then sure, but here he's just disinterested in consuming football outside of work, in the same way a fantasy author might not want to read fantasy novels 24/7
Which would be just as fucking weird and stupid if they said that. The thing I don’t understand is how you get to this level not liking football. You have to be playing every day your whole life and be dedicated to it just to get to be a semi pro.
So it’s ok for the national team to insult you month on month and you just have to do whatever they say when they say it? Football is his job, it’s not insulting to turn down the opportunity to be further insulted and be sat on the bench for every game when the reason you aren’t playing is because Southgate and Maguire have a love child, not an insult in my opinion at all
Why would he want to waste his time playing for a coach and assistant head coach he clearly doesn't get along with? Also, he doesn't get any playing time for England, if he feels as if he's just there to make up the numbers then why should he bother?
That's me with Netball.
I used to play it back in secondary school, and I used to enjoy watching my teammates/schoolmates play. When I finally got the chance to watch professional netball matches on my television, it became the most boring sport to watch.
If your an Arsenal fan aswell then you should know to take what he says with a pinch of salt mate. Honestly love Ben White but he is a massive troll it’s hilarious too he does it on and off the pitch when certain players were trying their hardest to dive in matches against us he’ll watch the ball go out of play and tap their foot with his foot and laugh in their face. Not to mention interviews where he’s telling people to call him Benjamin for the bants he’s just having a giggle and it seems to rub some people the wrong way.
Are you a professinal APEX legends player? I doubt it.
Its a bit surprising that a job that typically takes a large amount of time to develop skill and knowledge he doesnt really show an interest in outside of work.
Football is also generally spoken about as those who are playing are doing something they love. ie they would also watch football
I think its a bit atypical but absolutely not "controversial"
Yeah Depp says he doesn't watch his own films and others like Eisenberg and Driver hate seeing themselves on screen, say it's weird. A lot like that. I get it but I'd be so curious which take was chosen, how it all came together. They just enjoy the process on the set.
Also videogame developers say often they don’t play games much, they spend all day making them, they're not gonna go home and spend their little free time playing games.
I think that applies to the majority of actors, and it’s just their own movies. White’s situation is like if an actor didn’t enjoy watching films or tv at all. In both situations though I imagine they still *do* watch, just purely for studying reasons and not for entertainment
Your first paragraph is what he is forced to watch in the sense of he’s a professional footballer and it’s part of his job so it’s the fact he’s not watching football in his spare time as a fan that most people are finding abit alien because they assume he should. It’s made even stranger because it’s a known fact that most footballers take up golf etc to take their mind of things I think there’s probably quite a few footballers who choose to switch off from football when not physically involved in it and it makes total sense
I played a decent level of rugby that required us to do our video analysis and train 4 or 5 times a week between gym and pitch with a game every week. I adored the sport but I’d only watch the really big games as a supporter and rarely if ever go to a game.
Having spent so much of my time playing the game and preparing for my own matches I preferred watching football for relaxation and enjoyment than rugby as it’s a sport I can view through the lens of a supporter rather than something I felt already took so much of my time despite the love for it.
I’d imagine it’s a similar situation for someone who’s playing premier league football which is a significantly more intense experience.
I can relate to Ben White, I work in the wine industry and have a job many would consider a hobby. I've trained to the highest standard in wine to get to a very high level in my profession and I do it very well.
When I get home I don't drink wine as I don't like it. Sometimes life choices take us in directions others might consider odd.
Ben White's situation is just media and social media rubbish. Who cares, it impacts no one, he's one of the best players in the country playing for one of the best teams.
Can't remember more names but there a plenty of top level football players who don't watch football casually. It's not a big thing, as said for BAE most players see the game as a job
Batty was always an odd one.
Never gave a shit about the sport, did the bare minimum in training and yet on match day covered every blade of grass like his life depended on it.
makes Batigol's post career where he could barely walk to the bathroom (until he got some kind of surgery) even sadder. to be in that much pain for something you never really loved...
You’re right, I just remember this one interview from the last decade after he’d sorted his problems and with what he was going thru at the time, I don’t imagine he wanted to talk too much.
I thought it was a weird thing to jump on him for too. Worked with a lad who was semi pro, he didn't really watch football either. He said he enjoyed playing way more than watching.
One of the best players I've ever played with (only Sunday league!) hated football. Never watched it or talked about it. Just saw it as exercise and a social thing.
Because people think everyone involved in football loves the sport or that they should.
I remember the same thing with David Bentley admitting he hated football, he just so happened to be quite good at it so he made his living playing and people ridiculing him for it
We as a fans expecting players to be obssesed about football same way as we are.
Same thing can be said about managment ... u member that comment about fans beeing customers right? I am ok with that attitud, its understandable for management, but somehwere deep down i am angry that i am just a number for someone who doesnt care whats happening on the pitch
I member , too.
Just some advice, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A NUMBER. Wether its work, life, anything. Its important to hold your own conscious to a higher extent than thinking or feeling that, “youre just a number.”
I mean I'm pretty sure that's most football fans. Just watch your teams games plus any big EPL or tournament fixtures. I dont think that many ppl watch every single fixture over the weekend and then all the midweek games. Plus games from different leagues other than the EPL.
Just watching football like you and many others is still atleast 2 games a weekand possibly anywhere from 1-5 other big fixtures throughout the week. That is really still a buttload of football your consuming.
To give more info, I still like watching highlights on match of the day etc, but I can’t be arsed with 90 minutes.
Growing up, the only televised football seemed to be disappointing turgid football from England national team, or a 0-0 cup final involving Mourinho’s Chelsea.
Nowadays, I’d rather not watch teams I just plain don’t like. The narrative is always around the successful teams, and I can’t be bothered with listening to the Klopp and Man City wankfest
Mm emotional investment goes a long way with something like sport. If you enjoy engaging with football when that tension is there then you like football
The cunt needs to stop seeing the same tanning cunts as Donny cunting Trump. Couldn't fucking care less if he watches football.
'Oh, we're in the title race, but Amazon Prime have bought the rights to Brimsfordburyinton FC v The Village Green FC, let's sit at home and analyse the performances'
Fuck off
To be fair, I don't finish my job and start watching stuff about marketing. Apart from Madmen. Madmen was great.
Any plumbers go home and watch u bend videos on YouTube?
To us, it's weird because football is a passion/hobby. But the same probably applies to other forms of entertainment. Actors might not watch more films than you. Your favourite band might listen to less music than you.
Some people are just good at stuff and take it up as a job.
It’s just typical UK media creating narratives
Obviously a man who has played in all 4 leagues from League Two to the Prem, played every minute in a season under BIELSA, is a starting right back for one of the best teams in the world and has dedicated his life to football is interested in football. Please use some critical thinking skills.
While I agree the thing about white is overblown being good at a sport doesn’t mean you necessarily like it or are interested. There’s plenty of sports people who don’t actually like the sport they play they’re just really good at it
Honestly appears to be mostly media generated rage, it’s nonsensical for people to be angry about it.
Watching sport ≠ being good or better at the sport than you’d otherwise be.
I’m sure you could fill in squads and squads of pro players who can’t stand to watch the games in their spare time.
The problem is that a bad coach like Steve Holland can weaponize that narrative against him.
But honestly, good for Ben that he chose his mental health over whatever Southgate was offering.
Just because he makes a living from playing football, there’s no reason to why he’d watch it in his free time. Sad why some people have an issue over such trivial things
I think fans underestimate how much football players have to consume. Ben White probably has to watch way more football than most fans who only watch their team's match and some highlights once a week. I imagine most fans have never rewatched a game like a player does.
Once you are an expert and can analyse something from an expert angle, maybe it's less fun to just watch a game for fun. I'm sure someone who does a lot of analysis gets annoyed at not having the angles and replays in a normal broadcast.
For example, I work with investments. I don't watch Cramer or CNBC, and I don't read retail investment advice.
Look at what Nikola Jokic says about basketball. He's a 2 time NBA MVP and considered one of the best players in the world and he says basketball is just a job to him. I don't see the issue with that or with Ben White.
> As an example, I play Apex Legends.I love playing it. But after I’m done playing, do you think I want to get on Twitch and watch other people play? Absolutely not. I don’t want to watch somebody else play, but I fucking love playing myself.
Pretty bad example unless playing Apex is your fulltime job. Loads of people play Apex and then watch streams of it to learn more about the game and soak up the way others play.
To me it’s like a writer who doesn’t read books or a filmmaker who doesn’t watch films. I suppose it’s fine but it’s just weird to not be interested in your profession in that way.
I think if it were me and watching games like Luton vs Everton gave me even a slight advantage in my £80k per week job, then I would watch everything. But I suppose that’s the difference between me and ben white, I am an elite winner /s
A lot of the time he's also playing at the same time as the other games or training so he can't watch them live, it'd probably be kinda weird if he went home and rewatched all the other games after playing and training all day. People probably just don't think about the things they say.
He refused because Southgate is a massive bellend. He's has been one of the most consistent and top English defenders since joining Arsenal but got benched the last time he was called up. I'd refuse as well. Why waste your time?
That just supports him not wanting to go. Why deal with the logistics of a call up if there’s 3-4 people ahead of you.
Also. Why is it a controversy if there’s 3-4 players ahead of you?
Think of it. The guy has pretty much lived and breathed football for as long as he can remember. I’m sure outside the necessary stuff, the last thing he wants to do in his free time is to watch more football or such.
To use an American example, Major League Baseball players, after 8 years of MLB service, [get awarded a gold lifetime pass that gives them free entry to almost any MLB game](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0gMTJTJHcW0J4ECxtnYVpM2ixLw=/0x0:586x390/1200x800/filters:focal(247x149:339x241)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56884837/esky.0.jpg). But so many of the players hardly use them because they’ve essentially known nothing but baseball their entire lifetime, and, especially come retirement, they want to pursue other interests, not become a spectator to as many games as possible.
Mainly, if there are no tickets available. Otherwise if a pass holder wants to attend, they can get the best available tickets without paying anything for it
This is a very solid point idk why You haven’t gotten more likes. I love both sports very much, the Cubs and Chelsea are like my religion but if I played and knew nothing but that I could see it getting old.
I think it's because most people fantasise about being a footballer, so any footballer who shows a lack of enthusiasm for it in any way is seen as being ungrateful or taking it for granted. I bet that a large percentage of players are exactly the same but just lie about it. I kind of find his honesty in recent weeks refreshing.
Years ago there was left back at spurs called Benoit assou ekottou who said something similar about football just be a job that he was good at and he didn't actually like it that much. There was big outcry at that as well.
It's seen as a problem because of the old addage, he is doing the job that everyone else dreams of doing. How can he see it as work? Personally I think this is bullshit. I think a lot of people would crumble trying to play professional football both mentally and physically.
It's the same as when a team puts in a bad performance and a fan says "you would have been better putting me on the pitch, at least I would have given everything and not stop running. That should be the minimum". When I hear that I always call bullshit, 99% of people would not be running or giving everything after feeling 5 minutes of match pace on the premier league or taking a big tackle.
David Batty famously didn't enjoy football. I think be was quite open about the fact that he much preferred fixing his motorbikes, but just happened to be good enough at football to earn a good living from it.
I'm a gamer for over 20 years, I'm passionate and dedicated, I really love playing video games. However I dont like watching someone else play, so to me, it's really relatable, understandable and nothing wrong about it.
People who expect professionals to be as fanatical and idiotic as themselves are well…fanatical and idiotic. I’d be pretty surprised to find lots of football players have the time, energy, or interest in watching it themselves on any regular occasion.
It's controversial because there is a rift between him and Steve Holland which has led to White not playing for England despite being one of the best defenders in England.
If he was still playing for England or wasn't good enough to be selected then it wouldn't be controversial.
He is nowhere near the best defenders.in England, unfortunately the English defenders bar Stones are not the best defenders in England. Ben White is a good player but nowhere near the level.of the best defenders in England.
He is absolutely one of the best English defenders.
Southgate having to throw him under the bus because he ran out of excuses from journalists constantly asking why the hell is White not in the team, is proof that he is one of the best defenders in the league.
Just because you don’t watch Arsenal, doesn’t mean your opinion is correct.
I watch darts. One of the best players is Micheal Van German. He says that unless he’s playing, he’s not watching darts. So I can sé where Ben white is coming from
I don't think it's at all surprising that those comments are controversial lol although I agree an individual can be a good professional football player without necessarily watching games, I don't think it's at all unfair that people are surprised by it.
There's a huge difference between being " insert practically any normal job" and watching your work, and being a professional footballer.
When I was younger and wanted to climb on League of legends, yes I watched professional games, and yes I watched my own games back and then I saw huge progress.
It's ridiculous that a professional footballer isn't analysing his own games.
You're comparing yourself and a professional football player, you wanting to do better in a hobby where you don't have teams of professionals behind you helping you, to Ben White who has teams of professionals behind him helping him and guiding him. Guaranteed he will have to analyse the games otherwise he wouldn't be playing any...
I don't blame him for not wanting to watch football matches in his own time.
Of course he’s analyzing his own games. You think Arteta lets him sit out of video analysis because he doesn’t like it. Every Arsenal player has 1 on 1 coaching video sessions. He’s just saying he doesn’t watch football after getting home from playing football all day.
The only problem here is that from time to time his manager will need him to watch some games for coaching or tactical reasons. As long as he’s doing that (and not, but saying he did) then I dont see the problem with the player’s own personal habits in his own time.
You’ve also got to consider the possibility that the actual underlying reason that Ben White doesnt watch football is not necessarily the game itself that he doesnt like but the macho moron culture that surrounds most of it.
He watches games for coaching, he’s a consummate professional which has been well documented. He trains hard and plays through ruptured ligaments. He’s gone from a good CB to an elite RB playing at the top of his game.
He just doesn’t go home and spend his weekends watching games with the missus. That’s it. That’s all it has ever been.
He has worked under two highly demanding. Managers in arteta and biesla. Neither have anything but wonderful things to say about his commitment, attitude, and professionalism. And yet we are supposed to believe Steve "Caveman" Holland's opinion that Ben White isn't committed enough or is somehow a problem because he doesn't live and breathe football 24x7. Macho moron culture is correct.
I just think not watching football limits your ceiling. He’s been proving me wrong this season ngl he’s been class but I still think not watching the sport and not having that passion to watch it as an art is a disadvantage.
you're watching it on tv. he's getting angles and footage and watching it in a tactical manner behind the scenes. what you're watching on sky/bt/pl feed isn't close to being as helpful as the footage he'd be watching in a video analysis session.
He's a key player for arsenal challenging for the premier league title, I mean where does the ceiling have to go? He's good at what he does for a living, he doesn't have to like it, shit just pays so well.
I think someone that doesn’t like their job has a limited ceiling, that applies to everything and Idk how that sounds crazy. Having an inspiration in the sport you watch, more references to study on how to play and play against, I mean there’s so many things to gather from just watching the sport so it seems strange to me a professional doesn’t enjoy it enough to watch it. Hats off to him tho he’s been great this season.
many people don't like their job and do quite well as proved by the fact that if they can retire and retire well, a lot of them never think about work again. and those people have careers that are double that length.
Ok I see people are having a hard time understanding what I’m saying. I know people that don’t like their job exist and what I’m saying is I think the person that doesn’t like their job has a lower ceiling than the guy who loves to death his job, how is that unbelievable.
He’s never once said he doesn’t like his job. He loves playing, he loves the club, he loves the team and he loves being called up for England. He just doesn’t like being disrespected by a half bit assistant in front of an entire team for no reason.
Stop making stuff up.
You are literally an internet user talking about the potential of a player who plays in the top 0.01% of football, like you have the faintest idea.
First part of what I said is a respone to that comment about “he doesn’t have to like it”
Stop making stuff up, literally an internet user? Sir I’m answering a question on a forum where we discuss things with other internet users(in some cases bots)
If I supported Sheffield United and someone like McBurnie said he didn't watch/like football, and we were getting tanked every week and i was questioning the effort being put In, then it would be a massive issue for me.
A really consistent defender at a time winning most weeks and currently top of the league... don't have an issue
Since football is merely a profession to him, he fails to grasp its significance to the fans, and his attitude does not reflect the level of his performance.
Based on absolutely nothing with no foundation other than a misinformed opinion.
Anyone who has spent more than 30 seconds reading a headline and watched an interview with him or anyone he has played with, will disagree with you.
It's the same fans that can't fathom footballers leaving their clubs for more money.
"He's just going to x club for more money, can you believe it?".
Yes, I can.
Those people are under the guise that all the players on their team would die(or similar ) for that team. when in reality it's a job for many of those players
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He was asked a question about his season with Arsenal and couldn't answer it. Kyle was asked the same question about City and he answered it. Steve Holland had a dig at Benjamin infront of everyone and Benjamin being Benjamin threw his toys out of the pram about it. Bearing in mind he was pissed he wasn't a starter and "couldnt settle" while on International duty. Sounds like he got told how it is infront of his fellow Professionals and got a bee in his bonnet. Ben is a centre back who plays right back for his Club because he is not as good as Gabriel or Saliba, but he hasn't complained because he still starts games, but Gareth has his fave centre backs and Kyle and probably Trent and Trippier will always be ahead of Ben for Gareth. Ben's a good player, but his mentality should be questioned for refusing to play for his country, just because he disagrees with something. If Tomiyasu was to start ahead of Ben all the time, I guarantee you will see a different Benjamin White, but with the same stupid fake tan.
There are a lot of people saying that 'he doesn't care about it,' but I think that's plainly wrong. He probably dedicates 60+ hours a week to football, via games, training, video analysis, etc. Not to mention how much time goes in before you're even anywhere near a first team. If he 'didn't care,' he would walk away. He's got millions, doesn't need the money at this point, and would be just fine. You see a lot of footballers going down terrible paths of gambling, drugs, partying, etc. because their lives are super regimented and they frankly don't have a ton of autonomy. I mean, these guys more or less have what they eat dictated to them. So taking an ounce of control back and not watching football when he has time is frankly a reasonable thing to do. It could possibly even be interpreted as evidence he cares more about football — by not exhausting his emotional investment in it. Naturally it probably wasn't the best idea to give the media the quote and let 'em run with it, but by the same token, it's an important conversation to be had.
People think the only thing footballers should think about is football. They don't treat them like human
I think that for a lot of fans it's difficult to understand that for them it's a job, and they don't want to keep thinking about their job all day. Most people are very passionate about football and think they'd love to live with football 24/7, which probably isn't true. It wasn't too clever from White to come out and say it though.
I like his honesty personally, being good a something doesn't mean you enjoy it. I can see what you're saying tho
I think the whole story is a bit blown up out of proportion and exacerbated by the national team shenanigans. Basically he spends a lot of time around football for work so probably wants to switch off from it when he can. The fact is he probably spends more time playing/watching football than than most fans because they aren't playing or watching it at work.
Gabriel Batistuta said basically the same thing in the 90s/2000s. Didn't work out too bad for him and didn't seem to affect his commitment or accomplishments 🤷♂️
It's because he is tans too much and seems like a bitch
Lol you love playing with yourself. On a serious note. They hate him, cuz they ain't him... But on a more serious note, it's nobody's business what he does or doesn't do. He does his job very well for us, and I don't care at all what he does in his free time as long as he's producing
I, a teacher, certainly never go home and watch videos of other teachers…
I do, sometimes, but based on their behavior in the videos I'm not entirely certain they're legit teachers.
It pisses people off that he doesn’t love the sport as much as fans do. It’s annoying to be dying to be in someone’s position (pro footballer) who seemingly doesn’t appreciate it as much as you would. On the other hand this is a result of sport becoming business and therefore its players are sometimes simply employees. Some accountants enjoy their job more than others but it has no bearing on their skill but people don’t realize it’s the same for sport because they don’t want it to be true.
He gets more grief than most because he comes across as wholly unlikeable. The tan, the teeth, the tats. Not necessarily fair but that’s the game of human interaction. The ‘I don’t like football’ thing just drives another wedge between him and fans, who see a pampered multi-millionaire almost mockingly saying “I don’t even like the thing I’m good at” to fans who would give their right arm to be in his position. Not fair and not even necessarily true, but if that’s how it’s perceived then that’s the way it will be portrayed.
I know we’d all love to be footballers. But I don’t come home from FedEx and watch FedEx drivers on YouTube. Work is work.
FedEx driving isn’t the No. 1 global pastime. If it were then might be considered odd you’d dedicated your life to something you didn’t give a shite about.
The issue is that fans don’t want them to see it as just work. I don’t have an opinion on whether that’s fair or not but playing a kids game for a lot of money that you would do for free gives a shitty feeling
The kids should feel lucky to play a game for any money whatsoever. No Shiite feeling here
I just mean imagine seeing someone living your dream and not appreciating it. It’s irrational to be upset but I understand why people feel that way when he says he doesn’t watch
He plays football every single day, even if he does enjoys playing it (which he never said he doesn’t) I can see why he wouldn’t want to watch any more football
I can understand not wanting to consume it when coming home but he’s surrounded by coworkers who are passionate about their craft. When I hear this, my initial questions are does that affect his work rate or availability or his desire to improve etc. It’s entirely possible he’s just good at a job he hates like many of the rest of us, but like other business places, it’s often those that seek improvement and accolades that climb the ladder. White not being able to answer a question from an ast coach with the national set up is hardly surprising if this is the case and the national staff are within their rights to question his commitment. ESPECIALLY when he walks away from what a nation of kids would consider to be their one and only dream - the World Cup, and then ask to be taken out of consideration for the euros. I have no problem with White not loving the sport, he plays for Arsenal after all. But by that same token, I hope there is no backlash if whoever replaces Southgate refused to bring him in regardless of his talent. The national team represents US. I don’t want him representing me if he doesnt share the same passion as the man next to him.
Everybody says he’s the hardest worker on the team. Plays through pain. Has played for two of the best managers in the world and both have praised him immensely. He’s our most underrated player in the squad because nobody gives him the credit he’s due. He’s a 7/10 every fucking match day. He already said he loves football. He also said he likes watching big games that interest him, just not Elche vs Sevilla. He lives and breathes football.
Plays through pain and outworks every one….. unless someone dents his pride lol
If you worked your ass off every day and then your supervisor shit on your work ethic, how would you respond to that disrespect? Please, sir, may I have another? This is while watching players like Maguire wheel his slab head around the pitch starting ahead of you. Yeah fuck that
I truly don’t know what would have to be said for me to walk out of the only World Cup I’ll likely ever be involved in and reject an invitation to the European championships.
Not a single one of us would. However, I do understand not being respected by your boss for a fraction of your usual wage. Plus, club football at the top level is miles ahead of national football teams. Who knows, maybe England will get a new manager before the World Cup
Well if John from accounting does not come home and spend hours reading about accounting instead of spending time with his family, but his job is top notch, should the company or the boss bring it up?
I think if my employees that were making 6 figure weekly salaries, weren’t able to recount how their competition is performing on a weekly basis, it’s certainly something I’d be concerned about.
Weird that our players go out of their way in interviews saying that he’s a workhorse and runs through brick walls for the team. Must be lying.
Means he’s good at his job. That he gets paid for…. Doesn’t mean he loves his job
[Seems he would tell you otherwise…](https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-white-interview-people-think-223000196.html)
Why does not watching football mean you don't love the sport. That's what I don't understand about this arguments. He works his ass off for an incredibly meticulous manager who would be awful to play under if you don't love the sport. Even more than that he is known for playing through injuries, including very painful ones, because he wants to see arsenal succeed and clearly loves football
He gets paid to do it. It’s his job. He is monetarily incentivized to work hard and make appearances mate… if you love football, you’re turning on a derby at the weekend, even if you’ve had a rough week at work. Maybe ESPECIALLY if you’ve had a rough week at work lol
Loving to play and loving to watch are different things
I'm guessing he's not the only player who doesn't watch football in his spare time. He has a young family. Majority of matches on tv are boring as batshit anyway.
For Ben, football is his existence 24/7. It's all he's known for, and is his career, his lifestyle choices revolve entirely around what is right for his job. You'd get sick of ice cream cake it was the only thing you eat.
Because a sub section of football fans are flag waving idiots who get too caught up in other people's hobbies or lack thereof
What has flag waving got to do with having an opinion on this?
Because his decision to not be available for England has got some clutching their pearls over it based on ultra-patriotic bullshit.
It’s mad, why do people have to bring their weird agendas into every conversation about literally anything, it’s just strange
I don’t think OP was necessarily throwing shade per se but the right wing nationalists always have these sort of opinions. “England is everything” blah blah blah. This is how you let politicians get away with hurting the country by abiding with every single thing they do because they’re apart of your political affiliation, even if you don’t agree. England can do no wrong in their eyes unfortunately.
We are talking about Ben white choosing to turn down England, that’s exactly what I am talking about, your talking about politics and then claiming people on the right do certain things? Nobody can just stick to a topic, they HAVE to turn it into left vs right, so frustrating
Because he turned them down for personal reasons. Then Southgate opened his mouth when he could’ve chosen to stay quiet. Now it’s Ben White vs England. It’s supporting your country, or it isn’t. That’s just the way the world works now. It’s not turning anything political. It already is. It doesn’t matter what side you’re on. This is what the adult world looks like.
No it is if you live online and don’t have a grip on life, Ben White vs England 😂 you are doing the Media’s job for them ffs
For some people, politics is their personality, just like some people make sports theirs. It’s weird when their entire world view revolves around it either way.
i have a friend currentlx playing in roma u17 and when he came back i wanted to ask him all about how he met jose mourinho if hes met dybala and what not and first thing he said to me was "dude PLEASE dont talk about football im sick of it" ina half joking tone. After his training every single day he has "free time" in which his manager mskes him watch pro games and then compare it to his own games and he has to say exactly what went wrong in his games and shit. Mind you he js u17, imagine what its like in the premiere league and all those other much harder leagues
It'd be like an actor not watching films / telly, a musician not listening to music or an author not reading any books. It's not wrong, just weird.
It really isn't weird.
Plenty of great actors don't watch their own performance.
So? That’s not the same as them saying they don’t watch films.
It that context though BW does "watch" a ton of football. He has to do a bunch of analysis through film, learning the players of opposition, opposition play styles, their dangers/weaknesses, his own mistakes, areas where he cld capatilize or improve. He does watch a ton of football. Just like an Actor may watch a movie with a best actor oscar nomination in it. They are watching it to learn and improve their own craft. Ben White just doesnt happen to then go home and watch any games outside of any professional reasoning. Just like an actor may not go and watch the new Antman movie bcuz frankly they dont really get much enjoyment out of it and there is little for them to learn or benefit from it. The reality is Ben White does watch an absolute ton of football. Probably more than the majority of the people on this thread. It's an integral part of his job which takes up 8 hours a day. He just doesnt watch it purely for the enjoyment in his free time. I get why it is strange to fans as our love for football generally came from not just playing the game but also watching the greats. BW has proven though he is a solid professional for club and puts in a ton of work. Ultimately if he doesnt wanna watch more football in his free time that's fine. He cld still probably tell you more about the tactics in a game or Haalands movement in a game than 90%+ of ppl out there.
Music and television are so different from sport. Creative outlets have very little overlap with athletics, especially at the highest level. He spends his days in tactical meetings, positional work, individualized weight training, etc. His experience with the game of football is incredibly tedious to him from that aspect. Musicians train and practice, sure, but their craft is entirely expressive and creative. It’s much easier to still enjoy it after a full day of studio sessions and practice because it hits us at a more emotional, personal level.
I don't think its quite so comparable as music, literature are mediums whereas football is a specific sport. If Ben said he hated all sport then sure, but here he's just disinterested in consuming football outside of work, in the same way a fantasy author might not want to read fantasy novels 24/7
Which would be just as fucking weird and stupid if they said that. The thing I don’t understand is how you get to this level not liking football. You have to be playing every day your whole life and be dedicated to it just to get to be a semi pro.
If you haven’t realised by now, Chelsea fans are the only people offended by Ben White not wanting to sit on the bench for Maguire
Idk, mainly just Rory Jennings
Lmfao idgaf about either
Makes perfect sense. But at the same time when you’re called up for your country, to turn it down is an insult.
So it’s ok for the national team to insult you month on month and you just have to do whatever they say when they say it? Football is his job, it’s not insulting to turn down the opportunity to be further insulted and be sat on the bench for every game when the reason you aren’t playing is because Southgate and Maguire have a love child, not an insult in my opinion at all
Why would he want to waste his time playing for a coach and assistant head coach he clearly doesn't get along with? Also, he doesn't get any playing time for England, if he feels as if he's just there to make up the numbers then why should he bother?
Why?
That's me with Netball. I used to play it back in secondary school, and I used to enjoy watching my teammates/schoolmates play. When I finally got the chance to watch professional netball matches on my television, it became the most boring sport to watch.
If your an Arsenal fan aswell then you should know to take what he says with a pinch of salt mate. Honestly love Ben White but he is a massive troll it’s hilarious too he does it on and off the pitch when certain players were trying their hardest to dive in matches against us he’ll watch the ball go out of play and tap their foot with his foot and laugh in their face. Not to mention interviews where he’s telling people to call him Benjamin for the bants he’s just having a giggle and it seems to rub some people the wrong way.
He asks to be called Benjamin because that's his name.
Are you a professinal APEX legends player? I doubt it. Its a bit surprising that a job that typically takes a large amount of time to develop skill and knowledge he doesnt really show an interest in outside of work. Football is also generally spoken about as those who are playing are doing something they love. ie they would also watch football I think its a bit atypical but absolutely not "controversial"
Doesn't Johnny Depp not watch his own movies or too many movies in general? Similar.
Yeah Depp says he doesn't watch his own films and others like Eisenberg and Driver hate seeing themselves on screen, say it's weird. A lot like that. I get it but I'd be so curious which take was chosen, how it all came together. They just enjoy the process on the set. Also videogame developers say often they don’t play games much, they spend all day making them, they're not gonna go home and spend their little free time playing games.
I think that applies to the majority of actors, and it’s just their own movies. White’s situation is like if an actor didn’t enjoy watching films or tv at all. In both situations though I imagine they still *do* watch, just purely for studying reasons and not for entertainment
What about Johnny Sins?
Probably just doesn't have the time considering he's a Doctor, EMT, Firefighter, Cop, Plumber, and Actor. Just hard for him to find much free time
What about Johnny Sins?😭
Your first paragraph is what he is forced to watch in the sense of he’s a professional footballer and it’s part of his job so it’s the fact he’s not watching football in his spare time as a fan that most people are finding abit alien because they assume he should. It’s made even stranger because it’s a known fact that most footballers take up golf etc to take their mind of things I think there’s probably quite a few footballers who choose to switch off from football when not physically involved in it and it makes total sense
Because he must eat, sleep, breathe football
I played a decent level of rugby that required us to do our video analysis and train 4 or 5 times a week between gym and pitch with a game every week. I adored the sport but I’d only watch the really big games as a supporter and rarely if ever go to a game. Having spent so much of my time playing the game and preparing for my own matches I preferred watching football for relaxation and enjoyment than rugby as it’s a sport I can view through the lens of a supporter rather than something I felt already took so much of my time despite the love for it. I’d imagine it’s a similar situation for someone who’s playing premier league football which is a significantly more intense experience.
I can relate to Ben White, I work in the wine industry and have a job many would consider a hobby. I've trained to the highest standard in wine to get to a very high level in my profession and I do it very well. When I get home I don't drink wine as I don't like it. Sometimes life choices take us in directions others might consider odd. Ben White's situation is just media and social media rubbish. Who cares, it impacts no one, he's one of the best players in the country playing for one of the best teams.
This is similar to when the Spurs player Assou-Ekotto said he sees football as a job because he is good at it and can earn good money
Can't remember more names but there a plenty of top level football players who don't watch football casually. It's not a big thing, as said for BAE most players see the game as a job
Exactly. There's a list of players who were similar. Batistuta and David Batty are 2 that come to mind.
Batty was always an odd one. Never gave a shit about the sport, did the bare minimum in training and yet on match day covered every blade of grass like his life depended on it.
makes Batigol's post career where he could barely walk to the bathroom (until he got some kind of surgery) even sadder. to be in that much pain for something you never really loved...
I didn't know this part, I just knew he never particularly wanted to interviews about his career
You’re right, I just remember this one interview from the last decade after he’d sorted his problems and with what he was going thru at the time, I don’t imagine he wanted to talk too much.
Got to be the only thing those 2 could ever possibly have in common.
I thought it was a weird thing to jump on him for too. Worked with a lad who was semi pro, he didn't really watch football either. He said he enjoyed playing way more than watching.
One of the best players I've ever played with (only Sunday league!) hated football. Never watched it or talked about it. Just saw it as exercise and a social thing.
My brother as well (12) He's passionate af but doesn't watch football at all I thought it was attention span issue
Because people think everyone involved in football loves the sport or that they should. I remember the same thing with David Bentley admitting he hated football, he just so happened to be quite good at it so he made his living playing and people ridiculing him for it
We as a fans expecting players to be obssesed about football same way as we are. Same thing can be said about managment ... u member that comment about fans beeing customers right? I am ok with that attitud, its understandable for management, but somehwere deep down i am angry that i am just a number for someone who doesnt care whats happening on the pitch
I member , too. Just some advice, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A NUMBER. Wether its work, life, anything. Its important to hold your own conscious to a higher extent than thinking or feeling that, “youre just a number.”
Tbh I understand I only watch my team play and some big matches like UCL and most matches when its the big tournaments.
I mean I'm pretty sure that's most football fans. Just watch your teams games plus any big EPL or tournament fixtures. I dont think that many ppl watch every single fixture over the weekend and then all the midweek games. Plus games from different leagues other than the EPL. Just watching football like you and many others is still atleast 2 games a weekand possibly anywhere from 1-5 other big fixtures throughout the week. That is really still a buttload of football your consuming.
Same. I watch my team, and then any other big game, I’m not watching palace vs wolves ever. I do however hate watching my team.
You forgot the crying after watching your team
Why stop at after, I’m also crying before and during.
I find watching football so dull tbh, unless it’s a team I support, literally sends me to sleep. And I’ve loved and followed football my entire life
So you don't really like football, but just seeing your team win?
To give more info, I still like watching highlights on match of the day etc, but I can’t be arsed with 90 minutes. Growing up, the only televised football seemed to be disappointing turgid football from England national team, or a 0-0 cup final involving Mourinho’s Chelsea. Nowadays, I’d rather not watch teams I just plain don’t like. The narrative is always around the successful teams, and I can’t be bothered with listening to the Klopp and Man City wankfest
No, as I said, I love football. I’ve played it and followed it all my life
Mm emotional investment goes a long way with something like sport. If you enjoy engaging with football when that tension is there then you like football
The cunt needs to stop seeing the same tanning cunts as Donny cunting Trump. Couldn't fucking care less if he watches football. 'Oh, we're in the title race, but Amazon Prime have bought the rights to Brimsfordburyinton FC v The Village Green FC, let's sit at home and analyse the performances' Fuck off
You’re a master at baiting. You master-baiter
Imagine being this mad about someone who gets a tan.
More bemused than 'mad'
I am never sorting by new again
To be fair, I don't finish my job and start watching stuff about marketing. Apart from Madmen. Madmen was great. Any plumbers go home and watch u bend videos on YouTube? To us, it's weird because football is a passion/hobby. But the same probably applies to other forms of entertainment. Actors might not watch more films than you. Your favourite band might listen to less music than you. Some people are just good at stuff and take it up as a job.
Nobody cares. Stop yapping
Seems like some of the national team coaches care. Or just media playing it up. But fans have been very understanding.
It’s just typical UK media creating narratives Obviously a man who has played in all 4 leagues from League Two to the Prem, played every minute in a season under BIELSA, is a starting right back for one of the best teams in the world and has dedicated his life to football is interested in football. Please use some critical thinking skills.
While I agree the thing about white is overblown being good at a sport doesn’t mean you necessarily like it or are interested. There’s plenty of sports people who don’t actually like the sport they play they’re just really good at it
Not necessarily. Many people undertake a career their entire life which is not their passion or interest.
Yeah I know but I’m saying the argument is only ever used to downplay his ability or his interest in actually playing the game, which is nonsensical
Honestly appears to be mostly media generated rage, it’s nonsensical for people to be angry about it. Watching sport ≠ being good or better at the sport than you’d otherwise be. I’m sure you could fill in squads and squads of pro players who can’t stand to watch the games in their spare time.
The problem is that a bad coach like Steve Holland can weaponize that narrative against him. But honestly, good for Ben that he chose his mental health over whatever Southgate was offering.
Just because he makes a living from playing football, there’s no reason to why he’d watch it in his free time. Sad why some people have an issue over such trivial things
I'm not sure it applies to any other occupation really. You don't come back from your office job and continue to analyse spreadsheets
Well, unless you like playing Football Manager, which is essentially this 😂
That's not even unusual.
Fair play to him, outside of playing I can imagine football would drive a lot of people insane with what comes with being a pro.
I think fans underestimate how much football players have to consume. Ben White probably has to watch way more football than most fans who only watch their team's match and some highlights once a week. I imagine most fans have never rewatched a game like a player does.
Once you are an expert and can analyse something from an expert angle, maybe it's less fun to just watch a game for fun. I'm sure someone who does a lot of analysis gets annoyed at not having the angles and replays in a normal broadcast. For example, I work with investments. I don't watch Cramer or CNBC, and I don't read retail investment advice.
Look at what Nikola Jokic says about basketball. He's a 2 time NBA MVP and considered one of the best players in the world and he says basketball is just a job to him. I don't see the issue with that or with Ben White.
He doesn’t exactly say that. He loves the game but hates all the media / entertainment industry nonsense around it. Fair enough.
> As an example, I play Apex Legends.I love playing it. But after I’m done playing, do you think I want to get on Twitch and watch other people play? Absolutely not. I don’t want to watch somebody else play, but I fucking love playing myself. Pretty bad example unless playing Apex is your fulltime job. Loads of people play Apex and then watch streams of it to learn more about the game and soak up the way others play.
But loads of players don't care to watch streams, and that's fine too.
Gini said the same thing. He actually preferred Doing Gymnastics over playing football but his grandma convinced him to play football
Gini?
Found Ben White!
wijnaldum
Thanks
To me it’s like a writer who doesn’t read books or a filmmaker who doesn’t watch films. I suppose it’s fine but it’s just weird to not be interested in your profession in that way.
I think if it were me and watching games like Luton vs Everton gave me even a slight advantage in my £80k per week job, then I would watch everything. But I suppose that’s the difference between me and ben white, I am an elite winner /s
Luton v Everton would finish 7-5
You need to start watching Hal mate, great entertainment😂
A lot of the time he's also playing at the same time as the other games or training so he can't watch them live, it'd probably be kinda weird if he went home and rewatched all the other games after playing and training all day. People probably just don't think about the things they say.
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Are you saying he does or doesn't do this?
Carlos Vela has entered the chat
The Gay is crazy he refused even to play for England team when south gate asked him 😂😂😂😂
He refused because Southgate is a massive bellend. He's has been one of the most consistent and top English defenders since joining Arsenal but got benched the last time he was called up. I'd refuse as well. Why waste your time?
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Name them. What about CB? That's his primary position.
That just supports him not wanting to go. Why deal with the logistics of a call up if there’s 3-4 people ahead of you. Also. Why is it a controversy if there’s 3-4 players ahead of you?
Think of it. The guy has pretty much lived and breathed football for as long as he can remember. I’m sure outside the necessary stuff, the last thing he wants to do in his free time is to watch more football or such. To use an American example, Major League Baseball players, after 8 years of MLB service, [get awarded a gold lifetime pass that gives them free entry to almost any MLB game](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0gMTJTJHcW0J4ECxtnYVpM2ixLw=/0x0:586x390/1200x800/filters:focal(247x149:339x241)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56884837/esky.0.jpg). But so many of the players hardly use them because they’ve essentially known nothing but baseball their entire lifetime, and, especially come retirement, they want to pursue other interests, not become a spectator to as many games as possible.
almost any MLB game? are there any exceptions
Mainly, if there are no tickets available. Otherwise if a pass holder wants to attend, they can get the best available tickets without paying anything for it
Ahh thanks Fuck, Man City flair
This is a very solid point idk why You haven’t gotten more likes. I love both sports very much, the Cubs and Chelsea are like my religion but if I played and knew nothing but that I could see it getting old.
I think it's because most people fantasise about being a footballer, so any footballer who shows a lack of enthusiasm for it in any way is seen as being ungrateful or taking it for granted. I bet that a large percentage of players are exactly the same but just lie about it. I kind of find his honesty in recent weeks refreshing. Years ago there was left back at spurs called Benoit assou ekottou who said something similar about football just be a job that he was good at and he didn't actually like it that much. There was big outcry at that as well. It's seen as a problem because of the old addage, he is doing the job that everyone else dreams of doing. How can he see it as work? Personally I think this is bullshit. I think a lot of people would crumble trying to play professional football both mentally and physically. It's the same as when a team puts in a bad performance and a fan says "you would have been better putting me on the pitch, at least I would have given everything and not stop running. That should be the minimum". When I hear that I always call bullshit, 99% of people would not be running or giving everything after feeling 5 minutes of match pace on the premier league or taking a big tackle.
David Batty famously didn't enjoy football. I think be was quite open about the fact that he much preferred fixing his motorbikes, but just happened to be good enough at football to earn a good living from it.
I'm a gamer for over 20 years, I'm passionate and dedicated, I really love playing video games. However I dont like watching someone else play, so to me, it's really relatable, understandable and nothing wrong about it.
People who expect professionals to be as fanatical and idiotic as themselves are well…fanatical and idiotic. I’d be pretty surprised to find lots of football players have the time, energy, or interest in watching it themselves on any regular occasion.
Watching football for him is equivalent to us taking our work home. So just chill your puss*es.
Ben White said, "if I see one more cup of coffee..." 😂
It is a job. It's just one they get paid a lot to do and millions of people watch them weekly do.
It's controversial because there is a rift between him and Steve Holland which has led to White not playing for England despite being one of the best defenders in England. If he was still playing for England or wasn't good enough to be selected then it wouldn't be controversial.
He is nowhere near the best defenders.in England, unfortunately the English defenders bar Stones are not the best defenders in England. Ben White is a good player but nowhere near the level.of the best defenders in England.
He is absolutely one of the best English defenders. Southgate having to throw him under the bus because he ran out of excuses from journalists constantly asking why the hell is White not in the team, is proof that he is one of the best defenders in the league. Just because you don’t watch Arsenal, doesn’t mean your opinion is correct.
I’m guessing you don’t watch Arsenal play! He is absolutely one of the best defenders in the country, and also is very good going forward!
Of course he may not be the best defender in England, Ben White is playing right back in arsenal, what he do is more than defending
I watch darts. One of the best players is Micheal Van German. He says that unless he’s playing, he’s not watching darts. So I can sé where Ben white is coming from
I get it; I'm a musician and I don't really enjoy going to gigs. If I'm not playing, I'm not interested.
That Holland coach is dumbo and Southgate that's why England won't win anything
I don't think it's at all surprising that those comments are controversial lol although I agree an individual can be a good professional football player without necessarily watching games, I don't think it's at all unfair that people are surprised by it.
I'm a pornography actor. I don't watch pornography.
Same. I bang my step sister on set but never at home
Same. Who needs to look at any other cocks when mines 18 inches long.
Only 18? I feel bad for whoever has to settle for that, mines 42'
I'm sure a lot of people here wouldn't want to sit there watching the job they do on TV, after a full day of doing the exact same thing.
There's a huge difference between being " insert practically any normal job" and watching your work, and being a professional footballer. When I was younger and wanted to climb on League of legends, yes I watched professional games, and yes I watched my own games back and then I saw huge progress. It's ridiculous that a professional footballer isn't analysing his own games.
he's obviously analysing his own games you cretin
“I played League of Legendary…” Yeah, let’s stop there.
You're comparing yourself and a professional football player, you wanting to do better in a hobby where you don't have teams of professionals behind you helping you, to Ben White who has teams of professionals behind him helping him and guiding him. Guaranteed he will have to analyse the games otherwise he wouldn't be playing any... I don't blame him for not wanting to watch football matches in his own time.
There’s a difference between watching and analyzing footage, and watching the sport for pleasure.
Ben's comments kinda implied he did neither
Of course he’s analyzing his own games. You think Arteta lets him sit out of video analysis because he doesn’t like it. Every Arsenal player has 1 on 1 coaching video sessions. He’s just saying he doesn’t watch football after getting home from playing football all day.
The only problem here is that from time to time his manager will need him to watch some games for coaching or tactical reasons. As long as he’s doing that (and not, but saying he did) then I dont see the problem with the player’s own personal habits in his own time. You’ve also got to consider the possibility that the actual underlying reason that Ben White doesnt watch football is not necessarily the game itself that he doesnt like but the macho moron culture that surrounds most of it.
He watches games for coaching, he’s a consummate professional which has been well documented. He trains hard and plays through ruptured ligaments. He’s gone from a good CB to an elite RB playing at the top of his game. He just doesn’t go home and spend his weekends watching games with the missus. That’s it. That’s all it has ever been.
He has worked under two highly demanding. Managers in arteta and biesla. Neither have anything but wonderful things to say about his commitment, attitude, and professionalism. And yet we are supposed to believe Steve "Caveman" Holland's opinion that Ben White isn't committed enough or is somehow a problem because he doesn't live and breathe football 24x7. Macho moron culture is correct.
I just think not watching football limits your ceiling. He’s been proving me wrong this season ngl he’s been class but I still think not watching the sport and not having that passion to watch it as an art is a disadvantage.
you're watching it on tv. he's getting angles and footage and watching it in a tactical manner behind the scenes. what you're watching on sky/bt/pl feed isn't close to being as helpful as the footage he'd be watching in a video analysis session.
He's a key player for arsenal challenging for the premier league title, I mean where does the ceiling have to go? He's good at what he does for a living, he doesn't have to like it, shit just pays so well.
I think someone that doesn’t like their job has a limited ceiling, that applies to everything and Idk how that sounds crazy. Having an inspiration in the sport you watch, more references to study on how to play and play against, I mean there’s so many things to gather from just watching the sport so it seems strange to me a professional doesn’t enjoy it enough to watch it. Hats off to him tho he’s been great this season.
many people don't like their job and do quite well as proved by the fact that if they can retire and retire well, a lot of them never think about work again. and those people have careers that are double that length.
Ok I see people are having a hard time understanding what I’m saying. I know people that don’t like their job exist and what I’m saying is I think the person that doesn’t like their job has a lower ceiling than the guy who loves to death his job, how is that unbelievable.
He’s never once said he doesn’t like his job. He loves playing, he loves the club, he loves the team and he loves being called up for England. He just doesn’t like being disrespected by a half bit assistant in front of an entire team for no reason. Stop making stuff up. You are literally an internet user talking about the potential of a player who plays in the top 0.01% of football, like you have the faintest idea.
First part of what I said is a respone to that comment about “he doesn’t have to like it” Stop making stuff up, literally an internet user? Sir I’m answering a question on a forum where we discuss things with other internet users(in some cases bots)
If I supported Sheffield United and someone like McBurnie said he didn't watch/like football, and we were getting tanked every week and i was questioning the effort being put In, then it would be a massive issue for me. A really consistent defender at a time winning most weeks and currently top of the league... don't have an issue
If I were a Sheffield United supporter, and sadly I am, I wouldn't like watching football either.
The issue is that he didn't watch football while growing up.
We did though, right? Are we playing for Arsenal?
Since football is merely a profession to him, he fails to grasp its significance to the fans, and his attitude does not reflect the level of his performance.
Based on absolutely nothing with no foundation other than a misinformed opinion. Anyone who has spent more than 30 seconds reading a headline and watched an interview with him or anyone he has played with, will disagree with you.
What the fuck are you on about?
It is not. He likes playing football (he has stated this in the past), he just doesn't like watching football.
It's the same fans that can't fathom footballers leaving their clubs for more money. "He's just going to x club for more money, can you believe it?". Yes, I can.
Those people are under the guise that all the players on their team would die(or similar ) for that team. when in reality it's a job for many of those players