Gareth Southgate has revealed that Ben White does not want to be considered for the England squad. He said he had to make the truth public because continuing to ‘protect’ the Arsenal player would have risked his own credibility.
Southgate wanted to call up White for the upcoming Wembley friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, with the Football Association making inquiries to add him to the long list announced ahead of the selection. White, outstanding for Arsenal as they rose to the top of the Premier League and the quarter-finals of the Champions League, headed home early after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – his last involvement with England. Southgate said Arsenal technical director Edu had called his FA counterpart John McDermott to say White had not made himself available. Southgate, who has not spoken to White in recent weeks, said he did not know why the defender did not want to play for England.
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The manager has recalled Ivan Toney and Joe Gomez and given first call-ups to Jarrad Branthwaite and Anthony Gordon. He has had to deal with a string of injury absences including Kieran Trippier, Luke Shaw, Reece James, Levi Colwill, Marc Guéhi, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jack Grealish and Callum Wilson. Ben Chilwell and Harry Maguire are in despite missing recent club games.
Southgate has dropped Kalvin Phillips after deciding he could no longer support the midfielder in light of his struggles for form, with no places for Rico Lewis, Fikayo Tomori or Raheem Sterling. White was the most prominent storyline. Arsenal previously announced that he had signed a new four-year contract with the option of an extra year. Negative headlines hit the track.
“In these situations I have tried to protect players,” said Southgate. “Clearly that is impossible at the moment [with White]. Because the timing of the request to get off the long list and the fact that… I don’t have huge credibility, but there wouldn’t be any if I didn’t pick him on form.
“I don’t think it would be right not to say what situation we are in. We explained to Arsenal that we were going to do that.” And if you make such a decision, you have to support it.”
Southgate wanted to “keep the door open” for White but admitted there was virtually no chance of him going to the European Championships in Germany this summer. It is assumed that White will be open to a return at some point.
“I don’t want there to be a reaction [against White]” said Southgate. “I understand we are in a situation where that could happen. For me the shame is that he is a player I like. I would have liked to have chosen him. But it’s not an option open to me. I fully respect it.
“I haven’t spoken to him since this decision because I think it would be a similar conversation to the last conversation I had with him after Qatar. I felt a reluctance there that I felt I should withdraw from. I think it’s for him now.”
White felt uncomfortable in Qatar so he asked to go home, but Southgate said he was unable to articulate the details of why the player’s international career was on hold. He attacked the idea that this was due to a problem with his assistant Steve Holland.
“You would have to talk to him or Arsenal to reach an agreement,” Southgate said. “For me, England was the highlight. But I wasn’t at a club going for the league title or in the last few rounds of the Champions League. Everyone is wired differently. There is clearly a reason. But I don’t know the full reason.”
Toney is back to the first time asking about his eight-month ban for breaching FA betting rules, and Southgate spoke glowingly of the centre-forward’s “super quality” and “tremendous confidence”. He added that Toney’s suspension was “in the past … he has to move on now, everyone has.”
On Phillips, Southgate said he “couldn’t be confident that, given the performances he has put in in recent weeks, he would be able to get on the field and do the job we know he is capable of”. He added: “Maybe it’s a moment where you think this might be the lowest it can get for him… now he can just go for it and be himself.”
There was an update on Shaw, who he confirmed was touch and go for the final. “We all hope – ourselves and Manchester United – that he can be back just before the end of the season,” he said. “But that will be very tight for the European Championship and there is a reality about whether it is possible to play seven games at the European Championship. You have to get fit to play, but that also means what the level of performance means.”
Goalkeepers Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal).
Defenders Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City) ).
Midfielders Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), James Maddison (Tottenham), Declan Rice (Arsenal).
Come on Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford) ), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
Southgate again made his personal position clear; he is purely focused on achieving results at the European Championships and by that he means winning the tournament. Only then would he consider his next step: stay or go. He is under contract until December. The FA would like to see him renew for the 2026 World Cup.
“We have consciously suspended all internal discussions about what the next step might be,” Southgate said. “Because if we had signed a new contract before the tournament and done that, everyone would have said, ‘Well, you did this with [Fabio] Capello [before the 2010 World Cup] and you should prove yourself before you sign.” I have no idea where we’ll be in mid-July other than I hope it’s Trafalgar Square and let’s get the party started.
“I think [new contract talks] has the potential to negatively impact team response. The team needs the cleanest possible run in this tournament.”