HEARING FANS SAY “Zlatan Ibrahimovic is s**t” has helped Watford forward Troy Deeney to turn a deaf ear to critics prone to snap judgements.
The Hornets star has come under fire at times this season, with even his own supporters turning on him at one stage. Deeney has, however, been around long enough, and earned enough good will at Vicarage Road, to appreciate that opinions and emotions can alter dramatically from one week to the next.
With that in mind, and having seen global superstars called into question, the 29-year-old no longer pays much attention to detractors.
He said in the Hertfordshire Mercury: “To be perfectly honest, most fans see a different game to players. I am not being rude when I say that. Most fans will sit there and say he should be doing this or that, but they can’t do it and that is why they are fans.
“If I go to a pub and sit down with a fan and he says ‘Ibrahimovic is s**t’, I will say ‘What are you on about? Look at the ball played into him’. When they see it from a player’s perspective they realise, but they are just looking at it as fans and it is all emotion-based. You can’t take it too seriously.”
Deeney has also taken to avoiding social media in an effort to skip being dragged into debates which do not concern him.
He added: “I’m from the generation before that. I remember a life before social media. I remember phone boxes, that’s what I grew up on. None of my friends are big posters — we’re old school. We text, phone and meet up and have a beer or have a curry.
“I started posting the other day when I was watching them playing their five-a-side. It’s just normal. I’m 29 and still a kid in the real world. I just got a lot of expectations and pressure on me, but it is what it is. I’ve got the best job in the world, I work two or three hours a day and get paid handsomely for it.”
Spot on. Lots of keyboard warriors out there who are know it alls. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on their clubs players, but some realisation must come into play without emotion. Every player gets abuse. Look at Messi the other night, people on here saying he didn’t show up when he was needed, bottled it etc. Then Ronaldo, a diver and a show pony one day. Then the next day they’re the GOAT. Fans judge players purely on emotions at the best of times. Good man Deeney.
@Conor M: It’s Comment Section Culture. The idea that because we have a platform, our opinion matters. It doesn’t. Mine doesn’t.
I really like Troy Deeney. He knows how lucky he is and is humble by what I’ve heard in interviews etc. Seems a normal bloke. Old fashioned centre forward that would be a good addition to most PL squads
Absolute quality player.
One thing I found funny phone boxes he’s a year younger than me … and got first phone at 15 I think , and that’s in Connemara .. not London