Ex- Northern Ireland midfielder Jeff Whitley has said sorry for his coke snorting ways to Norn Iron fans after Sanchez ordered him home in 2005.
Both he and the doomed Phil Mulryne went on the lash following training and were immediately excluded from the squad. But three years on a detoxified Whitley has said he's sorry.
"I'd like to apologise to all the fans that I let down and apologise to all my family in Ireland for putting shame on the family name," said Whitley.
"It was all the drink, all the drugs - if I touch another drop I could die."
Whitley and Mulryne returned in the early hours to the Northern Ireland squad's hotel pished, just three days before our match with Azerbaijan and only a week before the famous 1-0 win over the Englanders.
Neither Norn Iron fans nor those in Sunderland, the club he was with at the time, realised there was a problem with addiction. The coke-sniffing, alcohol-fuelled mobile phone inserting antics of footballers have been well documented for some time but it wasn't considered that Whitley was one of them.
Whitely is now off the grog and clean of drugs after completing an anti-addiction programme and he hopes to convince new Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington that he is ready for an international return.
"Nigel has only known me as a drinker and a party animal and maybe if he knows I am teetotal he'll think differently," added the former pishhead.
"If I get the phone call to go I would go on the next flight over. It would be great to pull on that green shirt again."
Whitley is rather hopeful. He isn't exactly setting the world alight at Wrexham. Still, apology appreciated. Better late than never. |
