Former Manchester United defender Fil Jones admits that he is nice to Mason Mount and Luke Shaw, recognizing the difficult time they are going through with persistent injuries.
Jones, whose career was seriously hampered by long -term fitness problems, admitted that he once felt “embarrassed” by his own injuries to Old Trafford.
Mount and Shaw have been sidelined since early December, with the former dealing with a hamstring issue and the latter breastfeeding a calf injury.
Since he arrived from Chelsea in a move of £ 55 million in 2022, the Mount has already lost 51 games for United.
Meanwhile, Shaw, who signed from Southampton for £ 27 million in 2014, has spent more time on the injury list than on the United Stadium.
Jones, who was forced to retire in 2023 at the age of 31, after injuries throughout his 12 -year career in Old Trafford, said he understood the mental and emotional tolls that can have such failures, especially when they face criticism from social media.
“I am very sorry for Mason and Luke,” Jones said. “I know exactly what they feel. For me, it was almost an embarrassing feeling because you’re in Man United. The biggest club in the world and all you want to do is play football.
🚨🚨🎙️ | Phil Jones when he left the Manchester United team Whatsapp:
“You’ve been to WhatsApp (team) for years, Banter, sending people images and all kinds. You will have a field day,” he says with a laugh.
“I remember sitting in the bedroom. Going like:” Lads. It’s … pic.twitter.com/zvqf92rhq0
– Centredevils. (@Centredevils) March 19 2025
“I liked to play football.
“It’s hard to deal with. You have the fans, you have social media so that I can like them perfectly with them (Mount and Shaw).”
Despite ending the pressure from the fans to return, Jones stressed that injured players should ensure that they are physical and mentally ready before returning.
Shaw, in particular, faced control after England’s introduction to Euro 2024, despite being struggling with injuries throughout the previous season.
“What I would say is that they have to go back to a situation where they feel comfortable playing,” Jones added.
“Medical personnel these days will always try to promote you to come back earlier, but they must feel right and feel confident that they are ready to return and play and compete at a high level.
“That’s why I like them with them. It’s a really, really terrible hard place to be in.”
