Gareth Southgate insists that the door is not closed to Raheem Sterling after the Chelsea winger was omitted from his latest England squad, but says that “other players have the shirt” for now.
Sterling has 82 caps for the senior national team, more than any other player in the current squad bar captain Harry Kane. But he last featured for England against France at the 2022 World Cup, injured for the international break in March and then prioritising his fitness in June.
While Southgate conceded that Sterling was not happy about the decision – although respected it – England’s manager has opted for continuity by sticking with the same attacking midfielders from June and adding Eddie Nketiah as a striker to check in on the Arsenal player’s development.
Sterling struggled in 2022-23 after signing for Chelsea, often used in a deeper role under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. He scored just six goals in the Premier League last season and contributed half as many assists.
However, after responding positively to the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino and being Chelsea’s standout performer over the nascent weeks of this campaign, the expectation was that an international recall would follow. Failing to win over England’s manager led Southgate to make a personal call to his attacker.
“I always call players normally if they have been in the previous squad but aren’t in the next one,” Southgate said.
“With this one I was conscious that, firstly, he’s a player who has been a really big player for us, an important part of our team, and I wanted to address the fact that he’s playing really well. It’s not a decision I have made based on the three games he has played.
“Raheem is always really respectful with how he responds, and deals [with things], he will always say ‘I respect your decision’ but of course he wants to get back in the group. I wouldn’t expect that to be any other way… But we have got Foden, Grealish, Rashford, Saka, so there’s four for two positions.”
Southgate accepted that the omission of such a key performer for England over the last half decade would cause controversy, but his failure to be a part of the squad in June has allowed other players to overtake him in the queue.
“I understood why he wanted to focus on fitness in June and we are seeing the benefits of that now” he added.
“Of course, when you are not in other people have the shirt.
“I understand why it’s a big story but it is a position on the field where we have great competition.”
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/jNKs1M4
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