FRANK LAMPARD says Ross Barkley topless Dubai nightclub dance shows a “lack of professionalism.”
The midfielder, 25, pulled out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad due to an ankle injury.
Ross Barkley is back in training after an ankle injury but Frank Lampard has accused him of lacking professionalism
But he was filmed during the international break dancing shirtless in a Dubai nightclub — just a month after an incident in Liverpool where he was allegedly escorted to a cash machine by police after a row with a taxi driver.
Lampard has reiterated that players are allowed to do what they like in their spare time.
But he also wants them to be professionals.
The Chelsea manager said: “I think there are two separate issues.
“One is the headlines this week, Ross knows how I felt about the first headline.
“I backed him then, I still back him now but he showed a moment of a lack of professionalism as far as I’m concerned.
“And it’s not something that I want to be a pure dictator on and come down hard because I also understand that all my players are humans and have lives and I don’t police every moment of their life.
NOT GETTING SHIRTY
“So I don’t think it’s a terrible thing that he’s done but all Ross needs to do now.
“He’s had an injury and he’s still kind of carrying the injury – he still gets a bit of pain on shooting – so he just has to work his way back in.”
Barkley has been back in training with the first-team squad at Cobham before they headed out to Spain for their Champions League clash against Valencia.
Lampard added: “In terms of the fitness thing, he trained well and I certainly don’t hold anything against my players.
“I like Ross, he’s firmly one of my players and I think it was something he needs to show all his reactions on the pitch.”
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard admits that he could never go and manage Tottenham
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
