CALL OF DUTY
Howe tells Wilson to fire Cherries to safety and book his place with England for Euros
EDDIE HOWE has told Callum Wilson to nail his England place at the Euros – by firing Bournemouth to Premier League safety.
With Harry Kane’s fitness for the tournament in doubt after surgery on a ruptured hamstring, the spotlight is now on those Three Lions hitmen battling to fill the skipper’s prolific boots. Having been a regular in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the past 14 months, Wilson is definitely a contender.
Yet, on current form and evidence, the Bournemouth star – capped four times – appears way behind the likes of red-hot Chelsea rival Tammy Abraham.
Wilson, 27, last scored a top-flight goal in October and only recently ended a 14-game drought in all competitions with a strike in the FA Cup rout of Luton.
That dip has coincided with the Cherries’ own alarming slide into the drop zone.
Little wonder then that Howe (right) reckons Wilson must start delivering again for his south-coast strugglers – if he is serious about landing a leading role in Southgate’s summer plans.
Ahead of today’s crunch relegation scrap with
Watford, the Bournemouth boss declared: “It’s difficult to talk about Callum and England – other than urge him to do well for us.
“If he does – and scores goals between now and the end of the season – he’ll have a real opportunity to do what he wants with the national team.
“If he doesn’t, that option won’t be there for him. It’s about him thinking short-term, staying in the now.
‘‘He’s still been the bubbly guy we need him to be, but I know he’s hurting – because he lives for scoring goals.”
Dutchman Nathan Ake could make a welcome early return from his calf injury this afternoon – and put himself back on Chelsea’s transfer radar. The Blues have a £40million buy-back option on their one-time central defender, who left for Bournemouth for half that sum in June 2017.
But Howe is unconcerned by the speculation, adding: “I’m not going to play games with Nathan. We want him back, as fit as he can be, to make a difference.
“You have to do what’s right for the team. I don’t worry about things out of my control.”