WATCH: Brentford striker Ivan Toney opens up on 8-month ban JOURNEY, admits falling ‘out of love’ with football

Toney is back in the Premier League; here's how he spent his 8-month ban from football.

WATCH: Brentford striker Ivan Toney opens up on 8-month ban JOURNEY, admits falling ‘out of love’ with football

Ivan Toney opens up about his 8-month ban. (Via Sky Sports News)

Ivan Toney, the 27-year-old Brentford striker was in stellar form before his ban from football on grounds of betting breaches. As the player gets all the more closer to a much-awaited return, a one-on-one interview with the striker reveals how he coped with and spent his time away from the Premier League. Ivan Toney was on 20 goals and 4 assists ahead of his ban in the 2022/23 season.

Toney admitted that he, in a way, ‘punished himself’ for the same. To clarify, he said that he put an end to watching Premier League games. Before the ban, he used to watch every game on TV, including the lower-division games.

YouTube video

However, after picking up the ban, Toney said,

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I didn't watch football for a while. For over a month and a bit, I just had Brentford games on in the background to listen to the chances and the score.

He added that even though the beginning was tough, he showed strength to ‘not let things get to me’. Toney continued, 

I brushed it side and kept on going.

He also revealed that there was a brief period where he ‘fell out of love’ with the sport. In the interview, Toney also mentioned how Sandro Tonali‘s case was ‘unfair’. 

Life is unfair. That's how it is and the more you dwell on it, the more it's going to hurt you.

The player is expected to make his Premier League return against Nottingham Forest on January 20th.

Ivan Toney reveals how he trained during his ban

With a ban forcing Brentford striker Ivan Toney to not train with his team for the past 8 months, the onus fell on the player to train individually. Even though eight months away from regular team training is no easy task, Ivan Toney looks all the more ready to announce his return to the Premier League. In a recent interview, Toney revealed how he trained for the past eight months.

Ivan Toney in training
Ivan Toney was in training during his 8-month ban. (Via X/@SkySportsNews)

He put a lot of credit on his trainer, who he would approach ‘all the time’. 

I was traveling across half the world to put some training on.

The player used to frequent a training facility in Nashville, United States. Toney revealed that he had a ‘finishing’ coach who made him ready for real-time situations in games, as shown in his training videos.

He also said that the club and the manager, Thomas Frank, have been a mighty support for the past eight months. Toney also put credit on friends, family, and team management for their backing during his time away. He stated that he has a lot to ‘repay’ Brentford once he returns to Premier League action, thereby dismissing any changes of an immediate departure from the club. Brentford are currently 16th in the Premier League.

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