GRAY IS NOT READY FOR ENGLAND YET
WITH the sound of 30,000 happy clappers ringing in his ears, Demarai Gray acknowledged the hailing of a hero. Slight of build, fast of pace, the Leicester winger is a raw talent in a hurry. Having seen England manager Gareth Southgate promote the next generation for the November friendlies, England Under 21 team-mate Gray has been fired with World Cup optimism. This is the point where the club manager gives his player a psychological pat on the back and agrees that an international call-up is the
answer. Interestingly, Leicester’s Claude Puel declined the invitation after Gray sentenced Burnley to only their second away defeat of the season. A standing ovation from the fans? Thoroughly deserved for a youngster who showed he can play in any of the four attacking positions and excite. Puel has been impressed enough by Gray to pick him in the same side as Riyad Mahrez and asked him to occupy the space just behind Jamie Vardy. You know, where Dele Alli, Adam Lallana, Marcus Rashford or Raheem Sterling is likely to play in or around Harry Kane. Add the old guard like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the emerging Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the maturing Jesse Lingard . . . then there is Pep Guardiola’s favourite, Nathan Redmond. Gray is still only 21, immensely exciting, but Russia 2018 is a tournament too soon. Puel says so too. ‘It is important he keeps good intentions, a good focus about his game. It is just the beginning of his career, and not to see far, to look for the World Cup. ‘I watched him in the Under 21s. I think he is the complete player, he can play right, left, like a striker with encouraging potential and good feet. But he is young and he needs to work.’ A glimpse of that potential was on view when Gray took advantage of Nick Pope’s fumble to score the only goal of an entertaining match knowing that his momentum would thump him into a post. Puel will have been just as