Pep’s empty words on Foden

PEP Guardiola did not consider Phil Foden good enough to come on when Manchester City went 3-0 up at home to Fulham after 47 minutes on Saturday; or after 54 minutes when he introduced Gabriel Jesus; or after 67 minutes when he brought on Ilkay Gundogan; not even on 74 minutes when he plumped for Riyad Mahrez. Yet Guardiola advises Gareth Southgate that Foden is ready for England. Cynics might say it’s a ruse, no more. City have one of the country’s brightest prospects in Foden and he would be getting a game at many Premier League clubs now. Instead, Guardiola continues to buy players like Mahrez who push him further to the margins. Foden, at 18, is the same age as Paul Gascoigne when he broke through as a Newcastle regular but at this rate of progress the chances of him making England’s senior team any time soon are slim. Foden (right) is City born and bred but the club cannot presume that means he will never have a decision to make. So when Guardiola says Foden could play for England now he is absolving responsibility. It is as if Southgate’s job is somehow less pressured, less serious, and he can afford to take a chance where Guardiola will not. ‘Foden is ready for City, too,’ added Guardiola, despite playing him for eight minutes in the league this season, when already 5-1 up to Huddersfield at home. England’s next matches are Croatia and Spain away. Nothing Guardiola has done with Foden in recent weeks makes him ready for that, and his empty words of endorsement go no way to excusing it.