Daniel Sturridge has been criticized for “playing the victim” following his response to the ban on playing football due to a violation of betting rules.
The former Liverpool striker was suspended from ALL football matches around the world for four months and his contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor was terminated on Monday by mutual consent.
It was found that the 30-year-old had encouraged family members to place bets on his next club in 2018.
He had originally received a six-week ban last July, four of them suspended and a fine of £ 75,000, but the FA asked for a tougher penalty which led to a four-month ban and his fine been doubled to £ 150,000.
Sturridge posted a response to the ban on his YouTube channel, saying he was “devastated” by the decision.
He also tried to defend his actions, saying he “would continue to campaign so that footballers can speak freely to their families and close friends, without the real risk of being charged.”
But that provoked a strong reaction on talkSPORT Tuesday morning, with former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan and Sun’s chief sports reporter Martin Lipton, both insisting that he knew exactly what he doing.
“I found his video statement totally absurd,” said Lipton at the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
“Trying to present yourself as a victim of a campaign against freedom of expression – rubbish, you can’t do that!”
“He knew what he was doing; he knows that players are not allowed to participate in football bets and he encouraged his brothers and family members to place bets.
“Whether or not these bets were placed is irrelevant, the evidence is clear and uncontested. He was in total violation of the regulations and was fortunate enough to obtain only a four-month ban.
“What’s worse now is that he says it’s everyone’s fault if it’s allowed – no, it’s NOT allowed! You told people, you knew what you were doing !
“Don’t play the victim, Daniel – you’re guilty!
“Come on, don’t try to represent yourself as an innocent lamb caught in a vicious sting operation by an unfair court – do me a favor!”
Former Eagles owner Jordan agrees.
However, he took his argument a step further, claiming that Sturridge had behaved like a “fool.”
“I watch it and listen to it and think,” What a stupid young man, “said Jordan on White and Sawyer.
“What are you looking for, a kind of validation of your ridiculous and absurd behavior?” You know what you were doing, you know why you did it!
“You can’t go into this tale of betting companies and the challenges of mental health issues and suggest that someone should drop a betting protocol because you can’t keep your mouth shut. It’s outrageous!
“Daniel Sturridge is not isolated because he is Daniel Sturridge, he is distinguished because he is a fool who is now trying to defend the indefensible.
“And he didn’t get the right sanction in the first place.
“So the FA would not have felt the need to perhaps appear to be going very hard against him, it should have been done right in the first place.”
Watch an excerpt from Martin Lipton on talkSPORT, above…