22 June 2024 , 21:30
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Adam Wharton has no doubts that he can solve the crisis that has undermined Gareth Southgate's bid to make England European champions.
Southgate's admission that he was forced to take a gamble on playing Trent Alexander-Arnold alongside Declan Rice in his engine room because he was unable to call on Manchester City misfit Kalvin Phillips has prompted derision from a nation struggling to understand why a team packed with so much talent has underperformed so badly.
The England manager was brave enough to name 20-year-old Wharton in his squad after a promising cameo on his international debut last month, alongside Manchester United teenager Kobbie Mainoo. The former is yet to see action in Germany.
But Wharton on Saturday gave a compelling argument for why such a crucial position must be filled by a specialist rather than a converted full-back.
“I didn’t think Trent had that bad a game,” said Wharton diplomatically when asked about Alexander-Arnold’s issues against Serbia and Denmark. “I wouldn’t say he struggled.
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“Yes, he has not played there a million times, we all know that, but you can see the quality he has when we are in position, switching the ball, always looking forward.”
Asked if he was surprised by his manager’s strange admission that he has been unable to find a replacement for Phillips, Wharton added: “I don’t really look at it or think about it. I just play how I play and I know that if I do that then I can help the team get forward, move the ball down the pitch, beat the press, that kind of stuff.
“I don’t necessarily look at myself being ‘special’ or anything like that. It’s just the way I play. If I was to describe my game I would just say ‘it’s pretty simple but effective.’ If you’ve got great players in attack, like the (Jude) Bellinghams, the (Phil) Fodens, then you have to get them in the pockets.
“All I want to do if you’ve got players like that is give them the ball because that’s when they come alive to produce bits of magic, create chances, score goals, things like that.”
The Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment has worked for England (Getty Images)Wharton’s shy nature off the pitch doesn’t quite tally with someone who has a burning belief in his own ability off it. But after joining Crystal Palace in an £18million deal from hometown club Blackburn in January, it took him just 16 Premier League appearances to catch Southgate’s eye.
When the Lancastrian then produced a fine 30-minute cameo on his debut in the friendly with Bosnia last month, he had booked his ticket to Germany.
Wharton answered questions about the poor quality of England’s performances by reminding everyone that they have won four points and are clear at the top of Group C going into the clash with Slovenia on Tuesday.
It is clear that he feels ready for action. Wharton said: “I think I’ve got belief that no matter who, where, when I play football, that I can affect a game - so I think you have to think like that.
“If I think I can’t handle this, then what am I doing here? The way I look at it now, I believe I can affect any game I play in so I am just making sure I am ready if I am called upon to help.
“I think I have been always been confident in my ability because, for me, I try and live the game in my head as much as with my feet, whether that is making a movement to move the opposition so someone else can get the ball or trying to think a couple of passes ahead so when I do get the ball, I already know where I am going to play. If people think that is special then maybe it is - but for me it is just normal.”
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