Harry will repay the loyalty of Southgate

FROM the outside, the speedily-arranged conviction of Harry Maguire had all the hallmarks of the trial in Blackadder in which the judge, General Melchett, introduces the defendant as ‘the Flanders pigeon-murderer’ and reaches for his black cap.

“I’ll be needing that.”

But a Greek court of law is a court of law, nonetheless, and had Maguire been found guilty of these offences under British jurisdiction, he would be locked up.

But Gareth Southgate has, in his own words, ‘a fantastic relationship with the boy.’

He believes Maguire’s version of events on Mykonos over those of the Greek witnesses whose testimonies led to the Manchester United captain being found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult after his arrest.

That must be why

Southgate was insistent on selecting Maguire ahead of the conclusion of the legal proceedings in Greece.

Once those proceedings decided Maguire was bang to rights, the FA and Southgate had little choice but to take him out of the squad. Not a good look for the FA or for Southgate, it would seem.

Surely, it would simply have been prudent to leave Maguire out until a court decision had been reached, which turned out to be a matter of hours.

Southgate would have known the possibility of him looking a bit silly was a distinct one but it was a risk he was prepared to take.

Why? Because he considered it more important to express his loyalty to Maguire.

Over the past couple of years, Maguire has emerged as a towering, slab-headed symbol of everything Southgate believes an England squad should be about.

Hard-working, modest, aware of the honour of representing the country, not flash – £22,000 bottles of champagne notwithstanding.

Southgate believes him, trusts him and wanted to show Maguire that.

He will now expect Maguire to return that loyalty, expect his main defender to redouble his efforts for his manager and his country.

I suspect Southgate will not be disappointed.

The heat is on Harry Maguire now after Gareth Southgate dropped the centre-half