Frustrated captain Harry Kane has suggested some England players have forgotten the importance of representing their country following a spate of withdrawals.
The Euro 2024 runners-up round off a mixed year by heading to Greece for Thursday’s must-win Nations League match before a Wembley encounter against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday.
But interim boss Lee Carsley’s final camp has been hit by an eye-watering nine withdrawals, leading to suggestions that new head coach Thomas Tuchel’s delayed arrival has been taken advantage of.
The situation has irked Kane, who leads the side out at the Olympic Stadium in Athens knowing key players are absent for a match they must win to stand a chance of automatic promotion.
Asked if there was one thing former manager Gareth Southgate put in place that senior players need to ensure is not lost, the striker 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, yeah, 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.”
Quizzed on whether he felt that might have drifted this week, Kane said: “It’s a shame this week obviously.
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“Yeah, look, 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, like I just said there, England comes before anything, any club situation.”
Eight players withdrew from Carsley’s initial 26-man squad for this Nations League double-header. Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer pulled out of the initial selection on Monday, as did Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill and Aaron Ramsdale.
Jarrad Branthwaite was among five players brought into the squad but Carsley confirmed the defender has also left the camp, replaced by Jarell Quansah, when speaking at a delayed press conference that began at 10.10pm in Athens.
As a result, the team Carsley names on Thursday night could have an unfamiliar look to it, with some reports suggesting Kane may start on the bench with the likes of Curtis Jones and Lewis Hall given starts.
“The focus all camp has been on the players that are here,” the interim England boss said. “It is important that we make the most of this situation.
“With the amount of players that have pulled out, it gives other players the opportunity to be here. We’re looking forward to the game.”
Carsley says none of the current squad have spoken to him about the issue brought up by Kane and dismissed a suggestion club versus country situation is brewing.
“No, definitely not,” he said. “With the amount of pull-outs we’ve had in this window, historically it has been like that in the past. November has always been a challenging window.
“The culture and environment that Gareth, Steve (Holland) and the rest of the staff has created has made it a really positive environment.
“The players who are currently here fully deserve to be here and are ready for the game tomorrow.”
Asked if he found the withdrawals personally disrespectful, Carsley said: “No, not at all.
“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.”
Anthony Gordon, who sat alongside Carsley at the pre-match press conference, shook off a knock of his own to join up with England.
“I think whatever is my current team, the one I’m playing for right now, is what’s most important to me because that’s what’s in front of me and that’s the challenge ahead,” the Newcastle forward said.
