England faces Greece on Thursday in their first of two final Nations League matches this season. However, interim manager Lee Carsley will be without several key players due to withdrawals. Several high-profile players have opted to remain with their clubs, citing injury recovery or other reasons.
England captain Harry Kane has publicly criticized his teammates for their absences from the international camp. In an interview with ITV Football, Kane emphasized the importance of prioritizing international duty over club commitments.
When asked about the legacy of former manager Gareth Southgate, Kane highlighted Southgate’s emphasis on the joy of playing for England, stating, “I think the joy to play for England, I think he brought that back. Every camp people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and that’s the most important thing.” He added, “I think England comes before anything. It comes before club and it is the most important thing you play as a professional footballer.”
The impact of recent withdrawals
Kane directly addressed the recent withdrawals of eight key players, stating, “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.”
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The players who withdrew include Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer, Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka.
With these absences, manager Lee Carsley has called up several replacements, including Jarrod Bowen, Jarrad Branthwaite, Tino Livramento, James Trafford, and Morgan Rogers.
Kane’s comments highlight a potential rift between club and international commitments, especially with the timing of these withdrawals. This situation raises questions about the balance between club and country loyalty in modern football.
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