Simon Jordan ‘respects’ Troy Deeney but says Watford striker is ‘wrong’ to refuse to return to training over coronavirus fears

Simon Jordan has told talkSPORT he has great respect for Watford striker Troy Deeney, but believes he is ‘wrong’ to refuse to return to training.

Clubs have invited their players back to training this week after a unanimous vote from Premier League shareholders.

As part of ‘phase one’ of the gradual process of resuming full training, players will first only be permitted to train in small groups while maintaining social distancing on the pitch and throughout their time at the training ground.

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However, Watford captain Deeney has revealed he will be staying at home over concerns of spreading coronavirus to his family, including his newly born son who has experienced breathing difficulties, as well unanswered issues around BAME players.

Since Deeney’s statement, one Watford player and two members of staff have tested positive for coronavirus, and it is claimed more players are now also refusing train.

The striker received the backing of Rangers legend Ally McCoist on Tuesday, who insisted there can be ‘no argument’ against Deeney’s decision.

But former Crystal Palace owner Jordan says his immediate refusal to return to training with his teammates ‘is not the right solution’, and also called for the player to confirm he will not be paid after basically choosing not to go to work.

“I have a lot of respect for Troy Deeney,” said the talkSPORT co-host.

“I respect him as a player and I respect him as a leader at that football club. I think he’s a certain type of character, who embodies something that is very much lost in our game, which is leadership and character.

“He is entitled to make this choice because of the way he feels about it, but on the flip side of that, Troy, be a leader and say, ‘I don’t expect my football club to pay me the salary I am getting paid through my contract, because I’m making a choice’.

“It’s a choice a large proportion of his colleagues won’t be making, and he’s making that decision despite the industry experts, despite the Germans coming back, despite the idea that we’re beginning to get control of this and despite the workforce going back all over the country.

“I do understand that the BAME community do have questions that need answering, but we’re moving in a territory now where the world is beginning to come out of lockdown and the average person on the street is going back to work.

“And Troy can go to training. He may make a decision in four weeks’ time not to take part in the full-contact environment and training session, but right now these players are not asked to be in contact with one another.

“So Troy could make the decision to be supportive of phase one but then take his view on maybe phase two or three.

“But to go straight of the gate and say, ‘no, under no circumstances, irrespective of what you do, I’m not coming back’, it seems wrong to me.”

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Asked by talkSPORT host Jim White what his reaction would be if he was the owner of Watford, the former Palace chief said:

“I would be disappointed in him, and his position to turn around at phase one and say he’s not coming back.

“I understand your personal circumstances, can we put you in a hotel for six weeks and isolate you? No, OK, you want to see your newborn child, we get that.

“But you’re coming back to non-contact training to get you prepared for the eventuality that football will come back.

“If the world turns in the next four weeks and all of a sudden a vaccine is found, Troy Deeney would not be ready to play. He wouldn’t be fit because he wouldn’t have been going to training.

“To step out straight away, just because you can, and just because you’re in an industry where you’re afforded a luxury, is not the right solution for the wellbeing of our sport.”

However, Freddie Flintoff disagreed with Simon’s view on Wednesday’s talkSPORT Breakfast, and said Deeney’s decision must be respected, regardless of whether people agree with it or not.

“Troy is just being sensible, I’m not quite sure why it’s divided opinion so much,” said the England cricket legend.

“You don’t have to agree with it, that’s fine, but just respect his opinion.

“Troy Deeney has spoken about the issues that could potentially affect him and his family, his son who had breathing difficulties, and I just thought this is a lad who is being quite sensible.

“He’s just saying he’s not going in until these questions have been answered, it wasn’t a categorical ‘no’.

“So just respect what Troy is saying and have a bit of understanding.”

Listen to a clip of Simon Jordan on talkSPORT above