Barkley: I’ve worked so hard , my body feels right at last ...now I want to become a regular for Chelsea and then England
THE THREE LIONS’ FORMER WONDERKID HOPING TO FINALLY KICKSTART HIS BLUES CAREER
ROSS BARKLEY has run for miles this summer and pushed himself to the limit during lonely hours in the gym in his bid to step out of the shadows at Chelsea.
Last season was a washout for the 24-year-old, who was once compared to Paul Gascoigne for his dribbling skills and pace. He played only four games, as he switched from Everton to Chelsea for a knockdown £15million in January. A succession of hamstring problems wrecked his campaign and the few chances he got under Antonio Conte ended in frustration. Barkley saw a promising England career hit the buffers and he could only watch as the young team crafted by Gareth Southgate, which should have included him, surged to the World Cup semi-finals. Barkley had become the forgotten man. But the attacking midfielder is determined that, under new Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, the situation will change – and he has been working feverishly to ensure that. “I did a lot of running, worked hard with the strength and conditioning coach, did a lot of ball work and just got my body right,” he said.
“When you have a new manager, you have got to impress and get used to what he wants quickly.
“Step by step, I’m feeling stronger and ready. My body feels as good as it ever has. It’s all going well.”
Barkley has started both games in Chelsea’s truncated pre-season schedule and is set to figure again in tonight’s clash against Arsenal in Dublin.
“To earn a regular spot at Chelsea is my main focus,” he added.
“If I do well here, then the national team will take care of itself.
“Chelsea is a massive club, where you aim to win everything. It will take care of itself if you keep producing the goods on the pitch, so I am focusing on what I can do for my club now. But one of my goals is to get back in the England set-up. I am giving it my all and I am ready to kick on this season.”
By his own admission, last season was a personal disaster, but he is convinced all the hard work behind the scenes will bring dividends.
“I arrived with a long-term injury,” he said. “It was very tough last season.
“With the type of injury that I had, you get further little niggles, so I had a few problems while recovering.
“But I feel really good now – and I know the hard work will pay off.”
Under Conte, Barkley just could not fit into the system on the rare occasions he got a chance – and he started only two games. But he is convinced that Sarri’s attacking, high-pressing 4-3-3 style, which emphasises quick movement and energy, could mean that his time might have come.
“The new manager has a different style of play,” he said.
“It is about scoring goals and creating goals. There will be freedom, because you have three men in midfield.
“We will be going forward, getting close to the box, having shots and trying to create.
“Obviously, we have to be disciplined and organised without the ball. It’s a new style and we are all learning.”
The last of Barkley’s 22 caps came in May 2016 and it is easy to forget that he was part of Roy Hodgson’s 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championship squads before he fell out of favour.
This summer he could only watch as England’s Russian odyssey unfolded, but he added: “I kept in touch with a few of the lads and I was wishing them well.
“I was in one squad under Gareth and I have seen the direction the team is going in.
“They have really improved – it has been out with the old and in with the new. There has been a progression.
“Unfortunately, with my injuries, I wasn’t able to leave an impression.
“But I will work hard and, hopefully, I will be back in the set-up because it is a very exciting time for England.”