Table of Contents
- Night Out Revelations
- Career at Leicester
- Struggles at Chelsea
- Personal Challenges
- Reflections on Career
- Retirement Announcement
DANNY DRINKWATER has disclosed that he would “get with any girl” during his wild nights out while playing for Chelsea.
The now-retired midfielder never quite reached the heights he achieved during his time at Leicester City.
Danny Drinkwater retired from football in 2022 after leaving Chelsea
Drinkwater has shared that his nights of partying led him to pursue women
Drinkwater, 35, came through the academy and, after several loan spells, he permanently joined Leicester.
The midfielder played a vital role in the team that won the Premier League in the 2015/16 season, which earned him a £35 million transfer in 2017.
However, his career began to decline after moving to Stamford Bridge.
He made only 12 appearances in the Premier League for Chelsea, scoring just one goal, and totaled only 23 appearances for the Blues.
He claimed that the club's manager gave him only one hour’s notice to leave on Deadline Day, but Drinkwater declined the move.
He was later loaned out to Burnley, Turkish side Kasimpasa, and Reading but was unable to regain his previous form.
Family issues also weighed heavily on him, as he lost his grandparents and his father was diagnosed with cancer.
Drinkwater faced multiple injuries and was also sentenced to 20 months for drink driving after crashing his car following a party while over the limit.
Reflecting on his career, he admitted that his partying lifestyle negatively affected his football.
He stated on Jake Humphrey’s High Performance Podcast : “I was a single guy in London at the time, so I was, without going into too much detail, living the life of a single man in the city.
“I was trying to enjoy that aspect of life as a sort of distraction from everything else.
“That’s how I coped because everything else was going pretty poorly.
“Looking back, I would go out drinking, trying to meet any girl I could. It was just chaotic.
“You wake up with a hangover and think, ‘Wow, the happiness from last night has vanished, and it’s back to reality.’
“It just wasn’t me as a focused footballer.”
He also acknowledged that his drink driving charge marked a turning point in his life, saying: “I remember being in the cell for 23 hours.
“Those situations usually last two or three hours – just sobering up – and I was in that cell thinking, ‘What on earth are you doing, mate?’
“This is not who you are. It’s not how you want to be. You need to regain control of your life.
“That’s when I began seeking outside help.”
Drinkwater expressed his frustration at having wasted what could have been his best years.
On deciding to retire, he remarked: “It’s probably been a long time coming, especially over the past year, but I think it’s time to make an official announcement now.
“I didn’t think it would affect me, but saying it feels like it’s touched a nerve.”
He earned three caps for England during his career
“I believe I’ve been prepared for this moment. I’m not stopping at my peak, and it’s calmed down a bit, which has eased the transition.
“I think I’ve been in limbo for too long; I’ve either wanted to play but haven’t had the chances to play at a level where I felt appreciated.
“I just thought I was restless for no reason. I’m happy not playing football, but I’m also content playing, so do I simply part ways with the sport?
“It’s all I’ve known; it’s been my life since I was six or seven, so it was never going to be easy.
“I think the gradual decline has certainly helped. If I had been playing regularly and had to stop due to injury or age, I think it would have been more challenging.”
