GONE TO POTT
Johnson reveals Stoke flop Imbula refused to train after not being passed ball
GLEN JOHNSON has opened the lid on Stoke City's relegation last season - revealing Giannelli Imbula refused to train after not being passed the ball.
The Potter's £18.3million record signing failed to make an impact during his short stint in the Premier League after falling out of favour with then manager Mark Hughes.
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The 26-year-old remains under contract at the Bet365 Stadium until 2021 but scored just two goals in 26 appearances before successive season-long loans.
Johnson revealed the midfielder was never likely to be a success at the club after his actions during his side's 3-0 pre-season defeat at Burton Albion in July 2016.
He told Radio 5 Live's "Giannelli Imbula subbed himself because someone didn’t pass him the ball. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
"It was in a pre-season game and in training, I swear to you. Record signing. Like £20m or something?
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"He’s on the edge of the box or whatever, Charlie (Adam) has burst through and didn’t cut the ball back so he’s waved his arms in the air with his gloves on then he starts walking towards the bench.
"He’s got a long way to come so we just think he’s casually walking about, we’re not really looking at him but next thing he’s on the touchline and not saying anything.
"Then we’re looking at him thinking, he’s walking fine but he must be injured or something.
"Then he’s swearing in French on the bench, throwing things around, but still no one knows what’s going on. Then obviously someone gets stripped off and comes on.
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"But then 10 minutes later he decides he wants to play again. This is where it’s a disgrace. He came back on and they took the kid off again.
"If you’re the manager are you going to let that happen? Put it this way, he’s not coming off in the first place – or if he does, you’re not seeing him again.
"That sums it up. He subbed himself, then subbed himself back on. And nobody said anything to him, just subbed the poor kid who had been on for 10 minutes.
"I was half laughing, crying my eyes out because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing."
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The former Chelsea and Liverpool right-back officially announced his retirement from football this January after he was without a club since his Stoke release.
Johnson won every English major honour up for grabs, winning the Premier League with the Blues, League Cup with the Reds and the FA Cup with Portsmouth.
Since his playing days have finished, the former England international has regularly regaled tales behind the scenes during his lofty career.
Earlier this month, Johnson mocked the "cringe three envelope" trick used by Brendan Rodgers during his time at Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers: Three players will let us down
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