Ivan Toney, a forward for Brentford, described watching the 2022 World Cup as “painful” since he felt that he could have played for England.
Just before the Three Lions’ tournament team was announced, the Bees forward’s betting scandal surfaced, causing him to miss the 2022 World Cup with England. The former Peterborough United player, who turned 27 last May, was eventually given an eight-month sentence, although he expressed disappointment at the “spiteful” timing of the revelation of his betting rule violations. He has now talked about how tough it was to watch the tournament knowing that, had he been selected, he could have participated.
He said to Sky Sports, “I did watch a little bit of the World Cup, but knowing that I could have been involved made it even more painful to watch. But listen, what’s done is done.” Nothing I can do will make things better; sure, it was unpleasant, but that’s just part of life. You simply need to ignore it and focus on what’s ahead rather than what’s behind.”
During this January transfer window, Toney will be among the players who generate the most conversation. According to reports, Brentford put a £100 million price tag on him to deter interest from Chelsea and Arsenal. Furthermore, on January 20, when the Bees host Nottingham Forest, he will play in the first team for the first time in eight months. It remains to be seen, though, if he stays at the club.
