SMALLING HITS BACK
CHRIS SMALLING has hit back at Gareth Southgate for axeing him and vowed to prove the England manager wrong.
Southgate left the Manchester United man out of his squad to face Germany and Brazil this month, citing the defender’s inability to play out from the back.
Smalling, who will face Basel in Switzerland tonight in the penultimate Group A clash, admitted he was stunned to be dropped and claimed his experience and the fact he’s a regular starter for United warranted him keeping his England place.
Breaking his silence on his England exile, Smalling, 27, said: “Was I surprised? Yes I was. But you don’t play for one of the biggest clubs in the world for as long as I have and probably won the most trophies, bar the Champions League, without being able to do everything a top defender needs to do, be it playing or defending.
“This year as a team we’ve got the best defensive record, we have done for the last few years and I’m very proud to be part of that.
“While I’m playing under Jose Mourinho and he’s happy and I’m playing regularly then I’m happy.
“I play for one of the biggest clubs and as long as that’s the case I think ultimately it’s your club form that decides whether you play at a World Cup.
“If we have a successful season and our team continues to concede very few goals, I think it gives him (Southgate) no choice in the summer but to pick me.”