Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones admits he’s sympathetic in the direction of Mason Mount and Luke Shaw, acknowledging the troublesome interval they’re going by way of with persistent accidents.
Jones, whose personal profession was severely hampered by long-term health issues, admitted he as soon as felt “embarrassed” by his personal harm setbacks at Previous Trafford.
Mount and Shaw have each been sidelined since early December, with the previous coping with a hamstring challenge and the latter nursing a calf harm.
Since arriving from Chelsea in a £55million transfer in 2022, Mount has already missed 51 video games for United.
In the meantime, Shaw, who signed from Southampton for £27m in 2014, has spent extra time on the harm record than on the pitch for United.
Jones, who was pressured to retire in 2023 on the age of 31 after battling accidents all through his 12-year profession at Previous Trafford, mentioned he understands the psychological and emotional toll such setbacks can have, notably when going through criticism from followers on social media.
“I really feel so sorry for Mason and Luke,” Jones mentioned. “I do know precisely what they’re feeling. For me, it was nearly an embarrassed feeling since you’re at Man United, the largest membership on the earth, and all you wish to do is play soccer.
🚨🚨🎙️| Phil Jones on leaving the Manchester United WhatsApp group:
“You’ve been within the WhatsApp (group) for years, banter, sending individuals footage and all kinds, you guys would have a area day,” he says with fun.
“I bear in mind sitting within the bed room, going like: ‘Lads, it’s… pic.twitter.com/ZVQF92RhQ0
— centredevils. (@centredevils) March 19, 2025
“I beloved taking part in soccer. I didn’t do it for every other purpose, I simply beloved taking part in soccer like slightly child, and when you’ll be able to’t do one thing, you may have one thing taken away from you.
“It’s troublesome to take care of. You may have the followers, you may have social media, so I can completely sympathise with them [Mount and Shaw].”
Regardless of mounting strain from followers to return, Jones emphasised that injured gamers should guarantee they’re bodily and mentally prepared earlier than making a comeback.
Shaw, particularly, has confronted scrutiny after that includes for England at Euro 2024 regardless of scuffling with accidents all through the earlier season.
“What I might say is that they’ve received to come back again to a state the place they really feel comfy taking part in,” Jones added.
“Medical workers today will at all times try to promote you to come back again sooner, however they’ve received to really feel proper in themselves and really feel assured that they’re prepared to come back again and play and compete at a excessive degree.
“So I completely sympathise with them. It’s a extremely, actually horrible powerful place to be in.”
