Harry Kane has warned his England teammates that country should come before club after admitting his disappointment at the spate of withdrawals for this week’s UEFA Nations League matches.
Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, Manchester City‘s Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, Chelsea teammates Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill, Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool and Southampton‘s Aaron Ramsdale all pulled out of games against Greece in Athens and Republic of Ireland at Wembley.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, one of the replacement players called up, became the ninth player to withdraw from the squad on Wednesday.
Interim boss Lee Carsley remains in charge with Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor, Thomas Tuchel, not due to start work until Jan. 1 after agreeing an 18-month contract with the Football Association.
Failing to beat Greece by two goals on Thursday will likely consign England to a Nations League playoff in March but Carsley is left with a selection headache after drafting in Aston Villa‘s Morgan Rogers, Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, Burnley’s James Trafford and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen as cover. Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah was also added on Wednesday to replace the withdrawn Branthwaite.
Kane is part of the squad, however, and reflecting on what they need to retain after Southgate’s departure, the England captain told ITV: “I think the joy to play for England. I think he brought that back.
“I think every camp people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and that’s the most important thing.
“I think England comes before anything. England comes before club.
“England is the most important thing you play as a professional footballer and Gareth was hot on that and he wasn’t afraid to make decisions if, you know, that started to drift from certain players.”
Pushed on whether that might have drifted following the nine withdrawals, Kane replied: “It’s a shame this week obviously. Yeah, look, I think it’s a tough period of the season and maybe there’s been a taking advantage of that a little bit.
“I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. I think, like I just said there, England comes before anything, any club situation.”
Speaking in Greece on Wednesday, Carsley rejected the idea the clubs had put pressure on their players to pull out.
“No definitely not,” he said. “We’ve got a really good relationship with all of the clubs, especially the medical departments. We’re totally happy with where we are. The players we had doubts about in the squad announcement — that’s why we went with a bigger squad — they were assessed and sent back. There’s no problems from our way.”
Asked whether he felt personally disrespected, Carsley replied: “No, not at all. Historically, November has always been a challenging window with pull-outs. Look at the players we’ve brought in. It is really a proud moment for them. The focus is on the players that are here, not the ones that aren’t.
“I know the under-21s and the under-20s have had a lot of pull-outs as well. I think it is definitely that period of the season where fatigue and small injuries have played a part in it but it is a brilliant opportunity for other players who are on the outside of the squad.”
Both Saka and Rice were unable to finish Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea on Sunday, after which Palmer was left feeling pain according to Enzo Maresca.
Pep Guardiola barely masked his frustration at Grealish’s initial call-up, given he had not played for City since Oct. 20 due to a groin problem.
Speaking last Friday, Guardiola said: “In 17 days he didn’t train once. Today was the first training and he trained for 20 minutes. That is the reality. “Yes, he was in the gym for a few minutes for the past two days but it’s a question for the manager from the UK [England] — I’m not involved.”
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