Maybe Mason Mount thought self-isolation meant operating as a lone striker or a one-man midfield.
Either way, when he was told what he had to do when Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for coronavirus, he clearly did not get the tactical brief.
Mount, a very likeable young man, comes across as a bright sort and you should not need a power point presentation from your coach to explain what self-isolation entails.
But either it was not drummed into him sufficiently or he willfully ignored it.
Whatever the case, having a kickabout with the lads when you might be carrying the virus your mate has just contracted is plain irresponsible.
Some may see it as harmless, some might even smile at his youthful enthusiasm for the game, but there is a reason Mount is not allowed to play professional football right now. There is a reason why sport is suspended around the world.
That is because we are all trying to fight a pandemic that will kill hundreds of thousands of people.
It might not seem like the crime of the century but it should be a reminder that doing what you are told by medics is essential.
Even if you are as young, as fit and as healthy as Mount, you have a responsibility to those not so young, fit and healthy who are most vulnerable to the fatal consequences of the virus.
Sure, Mount is probably bored and missing being out on the pitch, but this war against coronavirus is a team game. And it will not be won by players ignoring instructions from those who know better.
