Harry Maguire: What's the solution for Gareth Southgate and England ahead of Euro 2024?

After Harry Maguire was ridiculed by the Scotland crowd and a 'livid' Gareth Southgate lashed out at the defender's treatment, we look at the issues arising from Maguire's ongoing selection...

Thursday 14 September 2023 07:21, UK

I asked Southgate this exact question in the last England camp.

It's a worrying message the England manager is sending. His current policy, which sees the likes of Maguire and Kalvin Phillips in particular picked when they are not getting minutes for their clubs, sends a poor message to those players in the Premier League and elsewhere, who are bang in form.

They are doing all they can to force their way into the England squad but are being overlooked for Southgate's 'old reliables'.

However, I do totally understand Southgate's reasoning for this.

After being named permanent England manager in 2017, Southgate said he would 'never pick on reputation, form has to come into it'. However, in his answer to my question back in March, he rowed back on those comments when asked about the continued inclusion of some players who were not playing for their clubs.

He also said that if he picks on form alone, he will be chopping and changing the squad with each and every international camp, and that that lack of consistency cannot build up a coherent and communicative team ahead of next summer's Euros in Germany.

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There is a problem in that too. The selection policy is creating a big imbalance in this England squad. Eight members of this current squad have more than 40 caps and nine players have four caps or fewer. That doesn't sound healthy.
Rob Dorsett

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Has Maguire been jeered before?

«Scotland fans are ironically