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Troy Deeney: 'You can't have equal pay' in women's football

luke bradshaw
Sports Writer
Watford's Troy Deeney inspects the pitch prior to the beginning of the Premier League match at St Mary's. Southampton. (Photo by Mark Kerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Watford's Troy Deeney (Credit: Getty Images)

Troy Deeney has said that women footballers do not deserve the same pay as their male counterparts.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, the Watford club captain pointed to commercial reasons by saying “you can't have equal pay if there's not equal money.”

The striker has been injured for most of the current campaign and has only played two games all season, but the 31-year-old was keen to stress that the lack of revenue generated by the women’s game is justification for the lower contracts handed to women.

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Deeney said: "I don't mind women's football. I am of the business understanding though, when people say 'it should be equal pay'.

"If the business makes sense, it does. So you look at KSI and Logan [Paul], should they be making the same money as Anthony Joshua for a boxing match? No, but the business side of it says they do.

"How many women's football matches are selling out week in, week out, 20,000 plus? They're not. So that's just logical business.

"But in terms of, do I sit and watch women's football? Yeah. Should they be getting paid the same as Neymar? No, because business-wise, you're not selling shirts like him and you're not packing out stadiums like him.”

ngland's players pose ahead of the France 2019 Women's World Cup semi-final football match between England and USA, on July 2, 2019, at the Lyon Satdium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France. (LtoR, from upper row) England's defender Millie Bright, England's defender Steph Houghton, England's goalkeeper Carly Telford, England's midfielder Jill Scott, England's defender Rachel Daly, England's forward Ellen White, England's forward Beth Mead, England's forward Nikita Parris, England's defender Demi Stokes, England's midfielder Keira Walsh and England's defender Lucy Bronze. (Photo by Philippe DESMAZES / AFP) (Photo credit should read PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP via Getty Images)
England women's team (Credit: Getty Images)

Despite Deeney saying that he watched women’s football, when asked if he could name five players on the England team he replied: "Nope, and wouldn't even try. Do you think equal pay would make that happen? And do you think they should be entitled to equal pay when I don't even know who they are?"

Watford currently sit bottom of the Premier League with just one win all season. Hayden Mullins is currently acting as caretaker manager and the club has already sacked Quique Sanchez Flores and Javi Gracia already this campaign.

Deeney returned to the starting lineup in the team’s game with Leicester City on Wednesday, but couldn’t prevent his side losing 2-0 to Brendan Rodgers’ men.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Watford player led by Troy Deeney argue with referee Craig Pawson over the penalty decision during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Watford FC at The King Power Stadium on December 4, 2019 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Watford players against Leicester City (Credit: Getty Images)

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