Foden deserves a shot with England
FORMER England international Chris Waddle believes City star Phil Foden should be in the thoughts of national team manager Gareth Southgate as he is better than both Jack Grealish and James Maddison.
Foden is a regular at Under-21 level but is yet to receive a call to the senior side.
After his man of the match performance in the Carabao Cup final against Aston Villa, the 19-year-old could be involved in the international fixtures later this month.
He faces competition from both Grealish – who is also yet to receive a senior call up – and Maddison, both of whom have impressed for Aston Villa and Leicester respectively this season. Waddle believes Foden should be included in Southgate’s squad.
“I’d put Phil Foden in the England squad now and I don’t understand people saying he’s not ready,” he told the Racing Post.
“I also don’t understand why he didn’t play at Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup just a few days after his man of the match display against Aston Villa at Wembley.
“I’d like to think that perhaps Pep Guardiola is actually paying him a compliment by keeping him back for the Manchester derby because Kevin de Bruyne is injured.
“But I’d be playing him all the time because he’s full of energy, young, confident, and it isn’t as though he needs a rest.
“There’s a lot of talk of Jack Grealish and James Maddison, but this kid’s as good as them if not better.” The former Tottenham star believes Foden would be in England’s starting XI if he received more game time under Guardiola at City.
Waddle feels he is suffering due to the abundance of talent at the Etihad Stadium.
He added: “If he was playing week in, week out, he’d be in the England team, never mind the squad.
“But it’s easy for Gareth Southgate not to pick him because he could argue that he’s not playing enough first-team football.
“There is no doubt that if he was playing more at City he’d be ahead of Grealish and Maddison but he’s suffering by being at a club full of superstars.
“He must have the patience of a saint.
“If I was him I’d be knocking Guardiola’s door off its hinges demanding to play because it’s quite possible that this lack of playing time will cost him a place at Euro 2020 and that would be a real shame.”