Has Ben White stopped being selfish for England and the Nation?
It has been declared recently that Ben White is looking to finally play for England after nearly three years worth of absence.
Apparently Talksport reporter Adrian Durham has announced that Arsenal’s centre-back is interested in being included in England’s manager Thomas Tuchel plans come March, once he takes over from current interim boss Lee Carsley.
This has come as a shock to not only those associated with Arsenal but also the nation of England.
White originally fell out with the England camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar following his clash with coach Steve Holland. The defender was told off in front of his colleagues in what was described an “angry exchange” after apparently not taking in information about The Three Lions opponents during the competition, in relation to tactics and training data. To make matters worse apparently White struggled to get on with his teammates within the side.
From that day forward White refused to play for his country representing the people of his nation England for the last time in March 2022, when Ivory Coast were beaten with conviction 3-0 in a World Cup warm-up match (friendly).
Current temporary England head coach Carsley also failed to reach out to White when asked about his involvement with the Three Lions since his takeover which doesn’t look to include him anytime soon.
In relation to calling the top Arsenal defender, Carsley said: ”I’ve not planned to, no.”
He further stated: ”We spoke about this in the squad selection. Every player that is eligible to play for England is in with a chance. As far as I’m aware he asked to not be contacted. If that changes, that will change.”
However, White hasn’t been the only England player to drop out of the team, in fact even teammates Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice have recently rejected the chance to play for their country in the recent International break.
This is something which has irritated the nerves of England captain Harry Kane, mentioning: “England is the most important thing you play as a professional footballer and Gareth (Southgate) was hot on that and he wasn’t afraid to make decisions if, you know, that started to drift from certain players.
“I think it’s a tough period of the season, maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit. I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. I think England comes before anything, any club situation.”
Obviously judging White by his actions for the past two years the defender would probably disagree partly with this statement with Arsenal coming before England.
Well renowned English manager and now media pundit Harry Redknapp was in frustration with White’s lack of representation for his country in March when he refused to play for Southgate’s side.
An outraged Redknapp proclaimed:”He doesn’t want to play for his country, he goes to the World Cup then comes home because he’s not getting in the team. I’m sorry, you’ve had your opportunity. You don’t want to play for England? You tell the Bobby Moore’s of this world who’s got 100-odd caps.
” The Shiltons, the Beckhams, the Rooneys-those people, go and tell the Billy Bonds of this world who didn’t get a cap and should have done, and all those great players that you don’t want to play for your country. I think it’s disgusting, I can’t have it.”
Many are already questioning why White would prefer to play under Tuchel than Southgate. If he thought the England set-up was harsh under Southgate’s reign, it could be even worse for him under Tuchel who’s louder and more brutal than that of the former Three Lions boss.
If Tuchel and England accepts Whites olive leaf then perhaps he can override his public criticism of lack of patriotism for wanting to not be a part of the national team?
LIAM HARDING
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World over there have been differences between players and coaches not necessarily because a player doesn’t want to represent their nations but the details at the time may make it untenable for somebody to be part of the team.its normal.
Kane and Redknapp are both English and I am not so they know better in this case.
After all if I am so honest, I doubt if White can out do the Rbs &Cbs England has,so maybe they don’t need him.
Cliff,
I can’t argue with you there, fare shout.
Although I hear what Harry Kane is saying in regards it being the top honor for a player to represent his country.
If in Rice and Saka’s case’s they both went off in the game before the International break, then I think that they’ve made the right decision.
After all, it’s the club that pays their wages. And I assume if they had joined up and got injured, am I to take it that Kane would have covered their wages for the time they were out, (I think not).
I don’t know what anyone else feels, but me personally I couldn’t care less what they do for their country, it’s what they do for Arsenal that matters most.
As far as I’m concerned, apart from the World Cup and the Euro’s, the International breaks are an irritant, and just slows the flow of the season.
What are your thought’s fellow Arsenal fans.
Unfortunately Derek before you get to the Euros or the World Cup you must go through this matches you are calling irritants.
Without quality player’s you won’t qualify to be at the world cup.
The challenge is how to balance between club and Country.
I feel like England has a greater workload on their player’s because of the multiple cups at play per season. Couple this with international fixtures and you realise both the English national team and players in that league have a very heavy task on their shoulders.
This can only lead to dismal performance compared to their peers with a lesser burden.
Cliff,
Fare and accurate points made, I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.
I think I’ve got brain fog, I completely forgot that teams first have to qualify for these tournaments.
I’ll correct the irritant’s bit to the money making no point competitions that the powers that be come up with.
Thank you for correcting me though, it’s very much appreciated.
1- His struggles to get on with team mates has never been reported anywhere so where did the writer get that comment from?
2- Kane never said White shouldn’t be allowed back as stated in the headline.
3- Rice and Saka didn’t withdraw from the squad, they had been injured and it was a combined decision of the club and England management.
4- White never had a problem with Southgate, his beef was with Holland and the complete reason has never been confirmed by any party involved.
5- The article writer needs to fact check before writing.
6- Rednapp is biased and a big mouth😊.
This is a reply to the article not you Derek, or anyone else.
GB,
I was wondering to be honest, but thank you for clearing it up.
I don’t know what happened there, I’ve just realized I went completely off topic.
I got side tracked for some reason, but I’m still interested in your views on the Rice and Saka withdrawals.
And while I’m here, I’ll put my two pennies’ worth in on the Ben White situation.
While I think if the new manager want’s to pick him then fine. But I do believe that a player shouldn’t be able to pick and choose when he represents his country.
I also believe that before Ben White plays for England again, he should come out and explain what his problem was with the previous management team.
Also, Ben White must have realized that he ran the risk of the new manager not picking him. A chance that he was willing to take it would appear.
There I got on the right subject in the end.🤦♂️
I think we don’t know the full Ben White story to judge. But if a player is not respected and put down by a manger after being picked then that manager should be dismissed. Harry Kane and Harry Rednapp are both wrong. Playing for your country us a privilege but not at the cost of your dignity and harm to your body if you are injured.
“Has Ben White stopped being selfish for England and the Nation?”
“…before Ben White plays for England again, he should come out and explain what his problem was with the previous management team.”
What? Sorry, but I am going to be the contrarian here. We are a long way past the Shakespearian “Cry ‘God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'” era.
Yes, representing your country is an honour, but it is not an obligation. Ben White was not selfish for deciding to make himself not available to play for the national team. Nor does he have to explain to anyone what his problem with the previous management team was.
Having lived and worked on three continents (Europe, Asia, and North America), I can assure you nothing good comes from dishing dirt on a previous employer, manager, or colleague. There are companies and people I will not work for or with ever again, but the reasons will never be disclosed.
Ben White made a decision and we must respect that. He apparently has reversed that decision, and again, we must respect that. Whether he gets selected again will be up to Thomas Tuchel.
Yes, I agree with the fundamentals of your post but we as supporters of Arsenal (and England) are invested for some reason about what happened. A few details seemed to have emerged suggesting that Holland embarrassed White in front of the group, which is not the best way forward from a management point of view. White is either deeply sensitive or has been wronged I assume, especially if he is prepared to put himself forward now.
Agree completely that White may have missed the boat at an international level but that must have been in his thoughts when he returned home. What a pity that there wasn’t a way of mediating.
Kevin,
While I don’t agree with every thing you say, you make some good points.
And you’ve got me thinking about certain parts of my earlier comment.