DANNY DRINKWATER has revealed he is seeing a sports psychologist following a number of off-the-field incidents that have halted his career.
The 30-year-old – who has stated he is on the lookout for a new club – has played just 28 games in the last three seasons.
Danny Drinkwater was sent off on two different loan spells by Chelsea last seasonCredit: PA
He has failed to make a name for himself at Chelsea following his £34million switch from Leicester in 2017, and endured two miserable loan spells at Burnley and Aston Villa.
In recent times the England international has been charged with drink driving, been beaten up outside a nightclub last September and headbutted former Villans team-mate Jota.
Drinkwater has opened up on how he has fallen out of love with football, but is looking forward to rebuilding his career.
Speaking to the Telegraph, he said: “I know my Chelsea move hasn’t worked out how anybody would have wanted and I’ve made mistakes, but it’s not as simple as me just not playing football or picking up a wage.
“Money doesn’t solve anything. The pay cheque doesn’t really help at all, you don’t even think about money.
“There have been things that come above football that have not been as simple as I’d like.
“I’m not looking for sympathy, f*** me I don’t want that, but I suppose I’d just like people to understand it’s not all gravy when you earn so much money and that I do care.”
Drinkwater after nightclub attack last September
Reflecting on being banned for drink driving whilst not in the plans of Maurizio Sarri, he commented: “I won’t use Chelsea as an excuse for the drink driving.
“Obviously, my mental state wasn’t the best, but it was ridiculous and it should never have happened.”
He then lifted the lid on what happened outside of the nightclub during his loan at Turf Moor, with it initially claimed he was attacked after flirting with another man’s girlfriend.
Drinkwater said: “I was pinching around the team then. Someone said I had tried to chat up some footballer’s girlfriend, but that just wasn’t the case.
“I got jumped and beaten up. It was an international break, so I wasn’t breaking any rules by going out and having a drink. But the timing was awful and the fact I twisted my ankle was the worst thing.
“I went in for a scan the next day and found out it was to do with the bone and I couldn’t believe it. It was just like, ‘Could this get any worse?’.”
After failing to make an impact at Burnley he was sent off on loan to Villa, but once again he hit the headlines following his confrontation with Jota.
After failing to feature against the Foxes, he said: “I got some stick from the fans and I woke up and I was raging. After training I planned to go and speak to Dean Smith about things, but then I went and headbutted Jota.
“We were on the same team, that’s how stupid it was. I’ve never done that, I’ve never laid someone out before. It was ridiculous. I apologised straight away and I had to go home.
“I texted him straight after to apologise and take full responsibility. I Google translated it into Spanish as well to make sure he’d understand.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
