Premier League striker explains the reason for his drugs ban

The England U-21 striker takes aim at his former club in what looks set to be a revealing interview.

The life of a Premier League footballer can be an unforgiving one. Not only are your performances for your club under scrutiny on an almost relentless basis. But your personal life is also under the microscope. Players and in particular English players must always be on their guard when it comes to socialising or doing anything outside of football. Their actions can be misconstrued or misinterpreted by the media and a scandal may not be too far away. Saido Berahino who currently plies his trade for Stoke City after signing for The Potters during the January transfer window has been the subject of a lot of attention this season for his off-the-field actions. The 23-year-old did not play a part in the final four months of his career with West Brom. At the time, the reason for his absence was put down to a lack of fitness by Tony Pulis. Berahino, however, rejects the notion that this was a mechanism in which to protect him.

"No-one protected me at that club," Berahino told BBC's Football Focus. "It was hard not doing what I really love - that's what killed me the most. "Waking up in the morning, playing football and having a smile on your face. Not doing that was the hardest thing for me."

The real reason for Berahino's absence was due to a ban by the club, because there were drugs found in his system. The 23-year-old states that his drink was spiked at a nightclub and although he admits there was irrisponsibility on his part for being in a situation like that, he reveals that it was hard to understand the ban when he had not done anything wrong.

"To be banned for something you really haven't done is hard to take," the 23-year-old said.  "You go on a night out, you don't know who you are around and there are people who are out to get you," said the former England Under-21 international. "Of course, I was in a nightclub, so I hold my hand up for being irresponsible. "From then on it all crashed down. To this day, I still cannot understand who would want to do that to me."

Berahino has made six appearances for his new club but has yet to find the back of the net.