20 March 2024 , 17:29
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Comments directed towards Ben White by England assistant coach Steve Holland over his 'lack of interest in football' are behind the defender's decision to put his international career on hold, it has been claimed.
The Arsenal star, 26, is in fine form but has not featured for England since leaving the World Cup early at the end of November. Gareth Southgate revealed this week that White had informed the Three Lions chief that he did not want to be considered for selection but insisted there were no issues with the player.
However, a new report from The Telegraph now alleges that a 'barbed comment' made by Holland about White's lack of interest in football in front of team-mates is behind the decision.
The exchange is said to have begun when Holland asked Kyle Walker a question relating to Manchester City's performance the previous year. When he asked a similar question to White, the defender told Holland he did not know the answer. It's then said that Holland responded by saying that was because White was 'not sufficiently interested' in football.
The report goes on to outline that the exchange with Holland took place days before White actually asked to leave the Three Lions camp. It's claimed that while there was no public bust-up between White and Holland, the two did exchange views in a private conversation on the day of Holland's comments.
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After White returned home from Qatar early, England went on to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament. They were knocked out by France, who ended the competition as beaten finalists.
While not considered first-choice for his country, White has established himself as one of the Premier League's finest defenders since joining Arsenal in a £50million deal from Brighton in the summer of 2021.
White left the World Cup early back in November (Getty Images)After impressing in his maiden season at right-back, White has slotted in seamlessly at right-back and was rewarded with a new four-year contract on the same day that Southgate addressed White's stance on representing his country.
When he was questioned about White's absence from the squad, Southgate said: “Clearly on form, I can’t sit here and say he doesn’t deserve to be here.
“[FA technical director] John McDermott had a call from [Arsenal sporting director] Edu last night saying Ben didn’t want to be considered for England squads. It’s a great shame, he’s a player I really like, a player we took to the Euros, a player I took to the World Cup.
“I spoke to him post-Qatar because I was keen to pick him, there was clearly reticence on his side. I don't know fully why that is, but I have to respect that. I want to leave the door open to him, he’s a good player, a player who can make a difference for England, but he’s not available to us.”
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