England World Cup striker Ollie Watkins gives perfect response to Jeremy Doku debate
Jeremy Doku’s plan to leave the World Cup for the birth of his first child has split opinion, and Ollie Watkins has now come down firmly on the Belgium winger’s side.
The Manchester City star confirmed this week that he intends to fly home when his wife goes into labor, sparking a debate that spread quickly across the European media. One French presenter went as far as to call the idea disgusting.
Watkins, a father of two, sees nothing wrong with it. The England striker, in the United States for his own World Cup campaign, took issue with the way such a moment has been talked about at all.
Ollie Watkins backs Jeremy Doku over World Cup birth decision
Speaking at an England press conference covered by Sky Sports, Watkins was asked about the criticism aimed at Doku and made his position clear.
He said: “I saw that this morning, actually. Someone labeled it disgusting and, for a start, that’s not a way to label a birth. I’ve seen what my wife had to go through in birth and that was quite smooth sailing, but I know family members and friends that haven’t had it that way.”
The Aston Villa forward then pointed to how rarely the moment comes around, adding: “Like he said, it only happens once. Your first child, welcoming them to the world, is a blessing, and you don’t get that opportunity.
“There’s a lot of times where you’re away from family and friends during the season, and it’s a very difficult period. So to miss that would be tough.”
Doku, who told reporters his child is due in the second week of July — right around the quarter-final stage — has already taken heavy criticism over his planned departure.
But Watkins argued the call was Doku’s to make and nobody else’s.
He continued: “I see where he’s coming from. I think he has every right to go back and be there. We’re very privileged men at the end of the day, and I’m sure he will have a lot of support to be able to get back and get there as quickly as possible — make sure he’s there to support her and then fly back out.
“I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business what he gets up to after training. If he goes back and does that, I think that’s fair enough. I would want to do it. I’ve got two kids, like I said, and I don’t see the problem with it.”
Belgium have drawn both of their group games so far — 1-1 with Egypt and a goalless stalemate against Iran — and sit second in Group G with their place in the knockout rounds far from secure.
If they do go through, Doku looks like their best hope of a deep run in an ageing squad that has badly lacked a spark.
Even so, Watkins’ point lands. For all that is riding on a World Cup, some things come before football.
