Monday, September 7, 2020

Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden axed from England squad after Man United and Man City youngsters caught meeting girls in hotel

Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden have been removed from the England squad to face Denmark.

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has confirmed the young pair breached coronavirus guidelines after footage emerged in the Icelandic media appearing to show them with girls in a hotel room on Sunday.

Pictures of Foden, taken on Snapchat, were leaked online

Snapchat

Pictures of Foden, taken on Snapchat, were leaked online

Greenwood was also pictured on Snapchat

Snapchat

Greenwood was also pictured on Snapchat

Foden and Greenwood, who play for Manchester City and Manchester United respectively, were both omitted from training on Monday and kept away from the rest of the squad as the Football Association investigated the matter.

The FA has now found that they disregarded both quarantine and behaviour rules and have axed them from the squad.

England are due to make their way to Denmark from Iceland on Monday afternoon, but the pair will be flown home separately.

It is understood that coronavirus quarantine protocols at the England team hotel were so strict, players were not even allowed to meet their own family members.

But two girls posted photographs of Greenwood, 18, and Foden, 20, on social media, showing them in clear breach of the guidelines set by the FA.

The young duo only made their international debuts on Saturday, with Foden starting and Greenwood introduced as a second half substitute in the 1-0 win over Iceland.

Foden is in trouble with England boss Southgate just one game into his international career

GETTY

Foden is in trouble with England boss Southgate just one game into his international career

In a press conference on Monday, Southgate said: “Unfortunately this morning it was brought to my attention that the two boys have broken the COVID guidelines in terms of our secure bubble – we had to decide they couldn’t have interaction with the rest of the team.

“Given the procedures we have to follow they will have to travel home separately.”

Southgate added: “Nothing has happened in the areas we occupy in the hotel. We are still getting to the depths of all the information because this was only brought to my attention a couple of hours before training, so I’m still getting to grips with the detail.

“What is clear is there is a breach of the Covid-19 guidelines. The whole squad have really followed that to the letter. I’m not going into any more details until I’m aware of everything.

“We’ve spent a long time putting the guidelines in place, and the whole squad have followed that to the letter.

“We’ve had four tests in the period we’ve been together, our staff have done an incredible job of keeping it secure and tight, which was so important both to get the games played and also for the safety and security of our team and staff.

“So in that respect we have no alternative but to do what we are doing.”

Foden and Greenwood are considered two of the brightest talents in the game

Rex Features

Foden and Greenwood are considered two of the brightest talents in the game

Southgate described the young pair as ‘naive’ and said they had both apologised for their conduct.

“I think at the moment I’m trying to take a lot of information in,” he said.

“Obviously they have been naive, we have dealt with it appropriately. I recognise their age but the whole world is dealing with this pandemic.

“I’m a father with children, young adults, I know people get things wrong. I’m not excusing that in this instance.

“These are two boys I don’t know particularly well at the moment so can’t speak in great depth. I have got to try and speak with them later in the appropriate way. They have got responsibilities and they have apologised.”


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