Premier League stars should be allowed ketchup on their meals, according to a top footballer private chef.
Tommy Cole cooks for a host of top-flight footballers – including ex-England ace and now Brighton striker Danny Welbeck.
Former Three Lions boss Fabio Capello famously banned the condiment.
READ MORE: Arsenal’s £11.35 bangers and mash with measly blob of potato slammed by fans
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Ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and one-time Chelsea and Spurs chief Antonio Conte also did the same.
But Tommy reckons the ban makes no sense.
The 33-year-old, from Sampford Peverell, near Exeter, Devon, has cooked at prestigious kitchens across the globe.
But now focuses on nutrition-based private cheffing for Premier League stars.
Capello, meanwhile, banned a whole host of condiments, including brown sauce, ketchup and butter when he became England manager.
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Wenger also made drastic food changes when he first took charge at Arsenal – although negotiations with players like Martin Keown saw ketchup eventually return.
Conte famously axed tomato sauce during his spell at Tottenham, believing it harmed player diets.
It prompted the terrace chant of “Tottenham’s Godfather, Antonio Conte, first he banned the ketchup, then he banned the mayonnaise, ole ole ole.”
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Tommy says such bans are pointless.
“Banning an individual food or ingredient without considering the diet as a whole seems a bit silly,” he told What’s The Jam.
“I’ve no idea why it would be banned, to be honest.
“It’s missing the forest for the trees.
“I imagine it’s banned as a means to improve the players’ diets, and by banning players from eating tomato sauce, it may be somewhat of a catalyst to change other dietary behaviours and lead to an overall healthier diet, which is great.
“For example, as tomato sauce is often eaten alongside ‘junk’ food like chips, burgers, and fried food, banning it may reduce the intake of these kinds of foods, which might have an impact on the pitch.
“However, if tomato sauce is being singled out as an inherently ‘bad’ food, then that’s unnecessary, as a little with a meal won’t ruin someone’s diet/health if their diet is generally healthy and meeting their nutrient requirements.
“Whether or not I use a particular ingredient may also change depending on the time of the season, proximity to a game, and whether a player is injured or not.
“I chat to the club nutritionists, so the rules my menus follow are generally based on evidence-based performance nutrition guidelines. I then speak to my clients each week and take their preferences along with info from their nutritionists to design their weekly menus.
“Some of the common ‘marmite’ ingredients are truffle and coriander, which some of our clients love, whereas others hate.
“I moved back to the UK last year and have focused largely on nutrition-focused private cheffing due to my nutrition background.
“It excites me to blend the two skills to improve my clients’ health and performance.”
