Troy Deeney reveals sacked Watford boss Vladimir Ivic banned PHONES from the training ground as club captain insists he’s still in the dark over ‘discipline issues’ that saw him dropped for Huddersfield defeat
- Troy Deeney says mobile phones were banned at Watford’s training ground
- Sacked boss Vladimir Ivic enforced the ban among the players this season
- Hornets captain Deeney said phones are a necessity for day-to-day admin
- The striker also opened up on the disciplinary issue that saw him dropped
Troy Deeney has confirmed that sacked Watford boss Vladimir Ivic banned players from having their mobile phones at training as the Hornets captain opened up on the disciplinary issue that saw him dropped from the Huddersfield game.
Ivic, Watford’s fourth boss in twelve months, was sacked on Saturday night after overseeing the club’s fourth defeat of the season as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to the Terriers.
The Hornets sit in fifth place in the Championship as the club bids to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. Former Valencia winger Xisco Munoz is now the man at the helm at Vicarage Road.
“It was strange… you could drive in with your phone but leave it in the car.”
“10 years ago it’d be alright but the way the world works now you need it!”
Troy Deeney confirms Vladimir Ivic banned #WatfordFC players from having their phones on them at training ❌ pic.twitter.com/GLGgFdMzwF
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) December 21, 2020
Troy Deeney has confirmed that Vladimir Ivic banned phones at Watford’s training ground
The Serb was sacked following the Hornets’ 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield on Saturday afternoon
And Deeney has revealed that Ivic enforced an unpopular mobile phone ban at Watford’s training ground in St Albans during his short stint in charge of the side.
When asked if the rumours of a phone ban were true, Deeney told talkSPORT: ‘Yeah, something like that. It was strange, you can drive in with it and then you have to leave it in your car and then when you get back you can go back to your car and get it.’
The 32-year-old insisted that players need their mobile phones to ensure they are kept up to date with information relating to meetings and other day-to-day activities.
Deeney said players were told to leave their phones in their cars when they arrived at training
The 32-year-old insisted that players need their phones to keep up with day-to-day admin
‘If that was 10 years ago it would be alright, but the way the world works now, everyone is talking and meetings are changed and stuff so you need your phone.
‘You might be in the gym and it might be like “meeting is at 10 but it’s been pushed back to 20 past”. A little quick text and everyone has got it.
‘Every manager has got a different little thing. It’s not weird and wonderful. There have been some weird and wonderful rules in different scenarios but I don’t think he was that bad.’
Deeney also said not ending a massage early may have been construed as ‘poor discipline’ as he was dropped for the visit to the Terriers
Deeney went on to explain that he is still in the dark over a ‘discipline issue’ that saw him dropped for the trip to the John Smith’s Stadium. He believes that not ending a massage early to see the Serbian coach may have been construed as poor discipline.
‘Training as normal on Friday, we travelled up to Huddersfield and got told I wasn’t in the team,’ Deeney added. ‘I’m not happy, but it is what it is.
‘At ten past two I’m getting a massage and get a call saying “Troy, can you come and see the gaffer?”. ‘[I said] “Yeah, no problem. I’m just getting a massage so give me ten minutes and I’ll be in”.’
Ex-Valencia winger Xisco Munoz has taken over at Vicarage Road following the sacking of Ivic
However, after the massage Deeney was given the cold shoulder by Ivic and the Englishman would later be told that he was dropped so he could rest, but also because of a disciplinary issue.
‘The only thing I can say is that when he asked to see me I didn’t come; I didn’t stop the middle of the massage I was in to go. That is genuinely it.’
Deeney has scored four goals in 10 appearances for the Hornets this season, with a knee concern keeping the striker sidelined in the opening weeks of the campaign.