Ashton questions Ben White over Instagram post after Arsenal return
Dean Ashton has told talkSPORT that he found Ben White posting on Instagram following his return to training with Arsenal strange after the defender withdrew from the England squad at the World Cup.
White started in the Gunners’ mid-season friendly with AC Milan on Tuesday. Of course, Mikel Arteta would not have expected to have the defender available for the game after he was called up by Gareth Southgate.
Ultimately, White went home prematurely due to personal reasons. Completely understandably, those reasons have not come to light. The general public have little right to know what transpired to force White into what must have been an incredibly tough decision.
Ben White criticised after Instagram post
Ashton insisted that White has every right to his privacy. However, he has taken exception with something the 25-year-old has done since leaving the England squad.
After some time at home, White joined up with the Arsenal squad in Dubai. And after returning to the fold, he took to Instagram to express his delight at being back. But Ashton felt that his post was poorly judged.
“One thing I would say is whoever’s advising him, or whether he just does it himself, to then post on Instagram: ‘We back baby’, I’m sorry, but that’s poor judgement from my point of view,” he told talkSPORT.
“If it is something that’s clearly a big issue and a family issue, and you want your privacy, absolutely, I totally agree with that. Personally, you wouldn’t hear from him until he’s back playing and that’s it. It did feel strange.”
It is fantastic to see that White is back playing again. Hopefully, he is in a better place after whatever went on in the latter stages of his time with the England squad.
But it is hard to disagree with Ashton.
It is important to note that White may have nothing to do with what is posted on his Instagram. And it would be incredibly harsh to be too critical of the centre-back because of the three words he has used on social media.
But it is not necessarily the best look to post a cheekier message when so many supporters have expressed real concern about him not that long ago and still do not have clarity about what went on.
