England manager Gareth Southgate says that Ben White must stand by his decision to avoid an international call-up.
The Arsenal defender was missed off the England squad announcement yesterday, leaving many to question Southgate’s intentions.
However during his press conference, the England boss admitted that the 26-year-old chose not to feature in the team, making himself unavailable for selection.
The announcement came on the same day as White signed a new Arsenal contract, which will see the player remain with the Gunners until 2028.
Southgate said he tried to pick White on form, despite sensing a “reticence” from the player who hasn’t represented his country since leaving the 2022 Qatar World Cup early.
Asked whether he felt White had an issue with international football, Southgate explained: “You’d have to speak to him or Arsenal to get an understanding of that.
“There have been players over the years in my time who didn’t want to be available. I’ve had that since we’ve been here. It’s not the only time [a player has turned down a call-up].
“For me, England was the pinnacle. Did I enjoy every moment with England? No. Were there moments where you thought, ‘here we go, into the lions’ den’ if you like? Yes. But I always wanted to challenge myself and test myself. And the things I regret in my life are the things that I’ve not had a go at, not the things that I’ve failed at. For me, it was always the ultimate.
“But, I wasn’t at a club going for the league title, or in the last couple of rounds of the Champions League. I can’t speculate what’s behind it.”
Southgate defended his decision to go public with White’s stance, insisting the Arsenal star must own the decisions he makes.
“As I’ve said, in these situations I’ve tried to protect players,” he continued.” Clearly that is impossible at this point. Because the timing of asking to come off the long-list, and the fact that… I don’t have huge credibility if I didn’t pick him on form! I don’t think it would be right not to state the situation we’re in.
“We’ve explained to Arsenal we were going to do that. And if you make a decision like that, you do have to stand by it. But like I say, I want to keep the door open [for White]. I don’t want that to be a backlash. I understand that we’re in a situation where that could happen. But I believe he’s announced he’s signing a new contract, so there’s no question he’s got the love of the Arsenal fans.
“For me, the shame is that he’s a player I like. I can see his ability is obvious. I would have liked to have picked him. But it’s not an option that’s open to me. I completely respect it. The door for me is completely open. Look, we have to say that’s unlikely now for the Euros because of the situation this month. But moving forward, I would hope that he feels differently about it.”
England are set to face both Brazil and Belgium in friendly matches ahead of Euro 2024, giving players a last chance to prove themselves before the prestigious tournament.
