Nah, I just read an initial story where it seemed to me like he just took JAC's word for it and said it was baseless. I think reading the following quotes, you're right, but gee he's put a lot of faith in the honesty of a guy whose story never stood up.
Gould went on to reiterate that this is “Josh’s decision” to stand himself down from Sunday’s game
“However, putting the club first and the team first Josh has made the decision to stand down from this week’s game and not make himself available, so the team can get on with its preparation and the media can get on with promoting the game.”
“I don’t think he had deliberately misled me or lied to me. He probably didn’t give me the whole version of what had happened there on the night, which I now have at my disposal.”
Gould said he found Addo-Carr’s story “very believable”.
Gould then thanked Addo-Carr for putting the club first in standing down.
“There is a lot of people that will be disappointed that Josh is not playing, but in talking to Josh this morning he realised it was probably the right thing to do right at the moment on behalf of the team and the club and I thank him for that,” Gould said.