Surely it’s worth giving Milner a ring, Gareth?
IF ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC had any chance of returning to the international stage with Sweden, it probably ended on Jimmy Kimmel Live. hinting at a comeback for his country, he boasted: ‘A World Cup without me wouldn’t be a World Cup.’ this was strange because Sweden did not qualify for the last two tournaments, which seemed to take place anyway, despite his absence. Also going ahead, every World Cup between 1930 and 1998, none of which featured ibrahimovic. in total, he has played in two World Cups his entire career — in 2002, when Sweden were knocked out in the last 16 by Senegal and he did not start a game, and in 2006, when Sweden were knocked out in the last 16 by Germany, and he did not score a goal. ibrahimovic started three of four matches, but came off after 46 minutes in one of them. Maybe he was banking on the ignorance of his audience. Not many of Kimmel’s crowd will be completely across Swedish football. had he told them he opened the batting for England in the Ashes, he could probably have got away with that, too. More familiar is Sweden coach Janne Andersson who, having edged out holland in the group stage and eliminated italy in the play-offs, is doubtless more than happy with what he has got. he will also remember that ibrahimovic retired after Euro 2016, when he led Sweden to last place in Group E — three points behind ireland — and, again, failed to score. By the sounds of it, the announcement was made without consulting Andersson, the new manager, who may feel ticked off that a player thinks he can come and go from his squad when he pleases. ‘he was not going to be in the team after the European Championship,’ said Andersson. ‘if you rejected the team, i do not think you should come back. i respect what he said, and i respect those who said yes.’ And who do not think the World Cup is all about them, either — which brings us to James Milner. he also stepped away from the international game in 2016, but with considerably less fanfare. ‘Fans revel in news of Milner’s international retirement,’ read one headline, noting the underwhelmed reaction on social media to the curtailment of a 61-cap career. it is fair to say, nobody has been underwhelmed by Milner lately. Alongside Jordan henderson, he has been the formidable core of the midfield powering Liverpool towards the Champions League final. Lacking the Andrea Pirlo figure that could transform England’s game with a range of passing, it has been wondered whether two hard-grafting scufflers could do a different, but effective, job instead. Milner’s nine assists in the Champions League this season — seven more than Newcastle’s Jonjo Shelvey in all competitions — has also been noted. Gareth Southgate may feel the same as Andersson, that Milner stepped down from international duty and he owes loyalty to those who did not. Yet Milner is no ibrahimovic. it would not be all about him. he would not make grandiose claims about his influence. Like henderson, he is a pack horse of a player, a selfless worker. And he would be given a specific detail, one that replicates his role for the club. it could give Southgate the option of playing Eric Dier in defence. Milner has also covered at full back. As for the group — well, he wouldn’t be returning in a blaze of self-serving publicity, fresh from a round of late-night chat shows. he’s boring James Milner, there to do a boring job. he may not be interested, but it’s worth a phone call, at least.