As excuses for the levels of performance go, blaming the shirts being worn is a novel one, however, Aston Villa players are deadly serious about their complaints over the Castore shirts they have to wear this season.
Only once before has a shirt been used to deflect from, on this occasion, a defeat, and that was back in the 1990s when Man United wore their infamous grey away kit at Southampton, which they changed out of at half-time and into a blue kit, thus incurring a heavy fine, per Sky Sports.
Villa players, according to The Telegraph (subscription required), have made their complaints known to manager, Unai Emery, and the board, who are in discussions with the manufacturers regarding why the shirts become heavy and uncomfortable during games.
Indeed, the shirts quickly have a ‘wet look’ about them as soon as a player starts putting in any effort and sweating, with it noted that the issue is particularly obvious on the home shirts.
“The players are having to play in soaking wet t-shirts and it is a problem that needs to be solved,” a source close to one player is reported as saying.
“It cannot go on all season. The players look like they’ve jumped in a swimming pool after about 10 minutes.”
The club are now apparently working towards a solution with Castore given that the players have also apparently suggested that their performances are suffering because of the issue.
After having lost Newcastle United as a client, the manufacturer can ill afford to see Villa walk away too.