Thursday afternoon saw Gareth Southgate announce his England squad for Ukraine and Scotland during the first international break of the season. As usual, the squad announcement sparked discussions with some of the picks being questioned. We caught up with former England and Manchester United defender Paul Parker to address the biggest talking point that arose from the announcement: Harry Maguire.
Maguire Is Happy To Be Sitting On The Bench
Harry Maguire came on against Arsenal but before then, hadn’t played a single minute of football for Manchester United this season, which comes after losing his club captaincy over the summer. Furthermore, his intended move to West Ham fell through. Maguire appeared unwilling to leave the club, and given his substantial wages, it proved challenging for United to facilitate his departure. Parker expresses strong criticism of Maguire for not moving on from his tenure at United.
“His career at the moment should be on hold.” said Parker “He hasn’t played regular football for a long, long time.”
Parker went on to add that “He’s happy to sit on the bench and get money in. Why doesn’t he show a bit of endeavour and sign a contract with financial incentives to show he’s got a point to prove?”
Southgate Has No Good Reason To Be Calling Up Maguire
Last week, Southgate faced questioning regarding his decision to include players such as Maguire, Kalvin Phillips, and Jordan Henderson. Phillips has encountered difficulties in securing playing time due to injuries since joining Manchester City last season. Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson’s England future has been the subject of debate since his move to the Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq. Parker emphasises Southgate’s unwavering trust in Maguire and suggests that if he continues to stand by Maguire, he risks losing the respect of his England squad.
“Southgate shouldn’t be picking Maguire. If Southgate wants the respect of his England squad then he shouldn’t be calling him up.”
“It’s disrespectful to other players that are playing week in week out and playing well for their clubs whilst Southate is picking Maguire who is not deemed to be good enough for his club side and doesn’t want to go and play.”
He went on to add that “The public will look at Maguire in the squad and see that as unfair. He could get caught out this international break because he’s playing against players that are playing week in week out. They’re sharper.”
Marc Guehi Is A Great Alternative To Maguire
Whilst England aren’t necessarily blessed with the depth in central defence of yesteryears the likes of Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori would understandably feel aggrieved for their lack of opportunities. Parker says he’s a huge fan of Guehi who had been linked with a move to Arsenal at a stage last season.
“A Bobby Robson, Terry Venables or a Kevin Keegan would have talked to Maguire and told them why they’ve been dropped.” Said Parker “There are some seriously good left sided defenders, proper left sided defenders that can do a job. Marc Guehi, for example, uses his left foot like a wand but is right footed.”
“People say Maguire has done well for England but he’s not been massively outstanding. England aren’t the most expansive team. They sit very, very deep when he plays so we absorb pressure because of that.”
“People at the club may be looking at him and tutting. The captaincy has gone and yet he still wants to be there. Players from my era and before wouldn’t accept that. They would want to get away and people would respect them for that.”
Will Maguire Win International Silverware?
Despite the confusion around Maguire’s inclusion in the squad, there can be no doubt that Southgate has improved England’s chances of winning a major trophy. Having reached a final and a semi-final, something England hadn’t done in the decades leading up to his appointment, Southgate’s decisions do make sense. And that’s not to mention the upcoming tournaments. England are joint favourites to win Euro 2024 with the odds varying:
- Paddy Power 4/1
- bet365 5/1
- Ladbrokes 9/2
Putting a bet on England to win Euro 2024 may not be possible as a qualifying bet. But you can sign up with a Ladbrokes promo code or Paddy Power bonus offer to have a punt on the latest qualifying games. You can also find more betting offers on our homepage.
