Players withdrawing from the England squad is disgraceful - it's an honour to play for the Three Lions
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England’s squad for this week’s Nations League matches - Lee Carsley’s final two games as interim manager - has been plagued by footballers withdrawing due to injury. In total, nine players have pulled out so far.
Some, like Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, have genuine injuries and simply cannot play. But there are others with tiny knocks, or even just a fear of getting injured, who are running away from the England camp without even kicking a ball.
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Speaking to ITV, Kane said: “I think England comes before anything. It comes before club and it is the most important thing you play as a professional footballer. Gareth [Southgate] was on hot on that and he wasn’t afraid and he wasn’t afraid to make decisions if that started to drift from certain players.
“It’s a shame this week obviously. Yeah, I think it’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit. I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. I think as I just said there England comes before before anything, any club situation.
“The joy to play for England. I think Gareth brought that back. Every camp, people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and, yeah, that’s the most important thing.”
Wise words from the captain - and he’s right on the mark with this one.
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Hide AdThere used to be a time where playing for England was a privilege; players would be honoured to put on the Three Lions shirt, to step out into Wembley Stadium and give everything for their country.
Even when divided by their club allegiances, legends of the game like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney left it all on the pitch for England. Nobody could doubt their passion for international football. Others, like Harry Maguire, arguably have had the best games of their careers while playing international football.
But now, fearful of losing their place in their club’s starting XI - despite being some of the best footballers in the world - one dodgy tackle in training and these prima donnas go running back home.
Yes, fixture congestion is an issue, and the risk of getting injured is greater now than it has even been. But this is England, for God’s sake.
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Hide AdJarrad Branthwaite was drafted in as a replacement for all the players withdrawing from the squad... and then pulled out himself too.
Thomas Tuchel’s arrival as the new England manager is imminent, and it’s meant to be a blank slate for everyone. But he is inevitably going to be watching these games, so this week was the best opportunity to make a good first impression.
I hope the guys that do step onto the pitch for Carsley this week give the performances of their careers, and prove to Tuchel that they are perhaps worthy of consideration over those who abandoned their country in favour of Premier League glory.
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