Southgate explains Newcastle snub, namechecks 5 Mags, shares Dan Burn story and hails Howe

Gareth Southgate insists that Callum Wilson missed out on his England squad as he’s “carrying an injury” and is unsure when the striker will be fit to play.

Ollie Watkins and Eddie Nketiah were selected ahead of our number nine yesterday, but he wasn’t the only Mag to miss out, as Nick Pope, Anthony Gordon, Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn were overlooked again. Some of those are to be expected, yet it’s become a theme that Southgate selects underperforming ‘big six’ players when so many on Tyneside are playing out of their skin.

Southgate hailed the “fantastic job” Eddie Howe is doing and the “spirit of the group” at Newcastle. He then namechecked four other Mags in Dan Burn, Jamaal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier and Elliot Anderson, revealing that he first saw Burn back in 2013, where he was hooked at half-time for Birmingham. It was a scouting trip to watch Jesse Lingard, but sums up how far the Geordie defender has come to be scoring against PSG in the Champions League a decade later.

Southgate credited Jamaal Lascelles, who he previously worked with at U21 level, for his leadership and patience, flagged up his faith in Kieran Trippier before others realised what a great player he is and praised Anderson’s big potential; but insisted the youngster will be given time to decide on his international future. Here’s everything the England boss had to say on Newcastle…

Southgate on Callum Wilson missing out on the latest squad:

 ‘He’s carrying an injury and we are not certain he would be available.”

Southgate on Howe, Burn, Lascelles and Trippier:

“He’s done a fantastic job. The spirit of the group. I saw Dan Burn play years and years ago (2013) at Leeds for Birmingham and he got taken off at half-time. I’d actually gone to watch Jesse Lingard. If you’d said at that point in his trajectory he’d have ended up scoring a key goal against PSG in the Champions League for Newcastle, I’m sure he’d have given you a strange look.

“There are some fabulous stories. Jamal Lascelles was with us in the Under-21s and has been a fantastic leader for Newcastle. He has had to be fantastically patient waiting for his chance. There are those sorts of stories all over the pitch.

“I know Kieran Trippier is flavour of the month now, but we used to pick him (for England) and people used to laugh. He’s proved himself again and again and again.“

Southgate on our 4-1 win over PSG:

“They gave an excellent performance (against PSG) and it was a brilliant night for a fanbase and football club who are totally united and have obviously had a difficult 20 years waiting for a night like that.”

Southgate when asked if he’d reached out to Elliot Anderson:

“I haven’t. John McDermott [the FA’s technical director] deals with those things, really, so we’re the same as Steve. We’re respectful that those sorts of decisions are big decisions and we don’t want to pressure anybody.

“We like Elliot. We think he’s a very good player. Got high potential. He’s obviously at a club that are absolutely flying so we will just have to wait and see. We’re very much respectful that if he needs time to think that through, we completely understand.”

After all that, it begs the question – why pick out of form benchwarmers when there’s so many English players flying for Eddie Howe’s Mags?