FA refuses to comment on reports England players visited strip club

· The Sun said Henderson and Lallana travelled to Bournemouth on night off
· FA says it is in process of reviewing its policy over players’ free time

Posted Monday, November 21, 2016 by theguardian.com

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson captained England in last week's draw with Spain.

The Football Association has refused to comment on reports that two England players visited a strip club on the same night that Wayne Rooney was photographed socialising at the team hotel, with the governing body continuing to review its policy over players' free time while on international duty.

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana were reported to have travelled to Bournemouth for a night out after being given time off by the interim manager, Gareth Southgate, the day after England's 3-0 victory against Scotland in a World Cup qualifier. It is understood that Henderson, who has been teetotal for his entire career, drank water at the strip club and spent the day in Bournemouth, which included an evening meal with friends. The Sun claimed they spent two hours at the club before leaving at 1am to return to the team hotel in Hertfordshire.

Henderson captained England in the 2-2 draw against Spain last week when Lallana opened the scoring before leaving the pitch with a groin injury in the first half.

The FA's chief executive, Martin Glenn, has promised a "proper investigation as to what went on" after Rooney apologised for being pictured with guests at a wedding party on the same night. The statement, released after the Rooney allegations, said: "England personnel have a responsibility to behave appropriately at all times. We will be reviewing our policy around free time while on international duty."

Speaking after his side's draw against Arsenal on Saturday, the Manchester United captain said he had been shown a lack of respect and condemned his treatment by the media as "disgraceful".

Southgate is poised to be formally interviewed on Monday at St George's Park by the five-man committee established last month to determine a permanent successor to Sam Allardyce. It comprises Glenn, the FA's chairman, Greg Clarke, the technical director, Dan Ashworth, the League Managers' Association chairman, Howard Wilkinson, and the former England left‑back Graeme Le Saux.

Adrian Bevington, who spent five years as the FA's Club England managing director until 2015, believes the former Middlesbrough and current England Under-21 coach is the only candidate after leading the senior side to two wins and two draws from his four matches in interim charge. "[The FA management] know Gareth as well as anybody and I don't think they will be speaking to anybody else," Bevington told BBC radio. "I believe Gareth will be given the job from this group. There's a board meeting on 30 November and I think Gareth Southgate will be the manager by then.

"Gareth's very experienced in international football. Fifty-odd caps for England, four major tournament finals and he'd worked with the FA with our development teams before becoming under-21s coach, so it was a natural, seamless progression.

"Gareth's a big student of the game, has great knowledge and is a bright and open-minded person with excellent communication skills and that's been proved with the under-21s, whom he led to success at the Toulon tournament last summer. I just think he's suited to the rhythm of international football."