Exclusive - Taking some time away from his own quarantine life, Norwich's Ben Godfrey sat down to discuss all things isolation, entertainment, who in the squad is best at FIFA and, of course, his standard Nando's order.
People across the globe are isolating themselves amid a global pandemic, and while not everyone may have the same job, everyone is in the same boat now. We're bored, lacking ideas and desperately clamouring for some form of entertainment.
The same applies to Premier League footballers too; more specifically, Norwich's Ben Godfrey. While the Canaries season prior to the current footballing standstill hadn't gone exactly to plan, the York-born central defender has been one of the club's standout performers with a string of superb displays.
A potential England call-up has been mooted but, putting that to one side, Godfrey
"The Playstation 4 has been getting a battering," he joked. "I've been swapping between both [Call of Duty and FIFA]! When I get killed enough times in Call of Duty I move over to FIFA and try and win a few games on that.
"Me, Max [Aarons] and Todd [Cantwell] play. Todd is pretty decent at FIFA, though, so I try and stay away from him.
More than just a games console, Godfrey revealed that video games have been helpful in keeping in touch with his Norwich teammates. It's worked well as a communication tool, but the 22-year-old insisted it's not on the same level as the day-to-day banter he would have with his teammates during training.
"Yeah we do [keep in touch]. But yeah, we do stay in touch because obviously if you're not playing Playstation you can just chat to each other," he added.
"We're a tight bunch, we do talk regularly. With Snapchat and PS4 we can stay in touch reasonably well, but obviously, yes, it's different to being face-to-face. I do miss the changing room banter, when that's taken away from you it's tough."
One of the worrying concerns for footballers in times of isolation is an eventual lack of match sharpness. With no training or matches to maintain a regular playing schedule, Godfrey revealed the club had brought the players equipment to stay fit. One thing that doesn't help with, however, is actual football. Therefore, Godfrey revealed he's been reliving his youth during lockdown.
"The club have given us equipment, so I've been putting that to use," he revealed. "They've dropped us off exercise bikes and stuff like that.
"But really, I've turned myself back into a kid again! I've been playing against the wall like I did when I was younger. It's all I can do."
Never one to shy away from carrying the ball forward, @BenG0dfrey has adapted well to life in the @premierleague!
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) March 27, 2020
What have you made of his 2019-20 campaign?
Lockdown, while causing people to miss many aspects of life, has resulted in people seriously craving their favourite foods. Just like everyone, Godfrey is no different, and he openly admitted his most missed food at the moment is one of the UK's most popular.
He concluded: "It's got to be Caribbean food or Nando's. I always go half a chicken, with medium sauce, corn with that and obviously peri peri chips - can't miss those out. And this is where I get called a 'fatty', because I also get some chicken wings on the side.
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Source : 90min