It’s time for Southgate to begin Foden’s era as an England hero
JUST ten years ago, England finished a European qualifier against Switzerland with six City players on the pitch.
With Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright-Phillips going on as subs to join Joe Hart, Joleon Lescott, Gareth Barry and James Milner, only the 1934 Arsenal team, with seven, had provided more for the national team in a single match. Since then, the Blues’ influence in the England side has waned and John Stones’ recent loss of form and the emergence of strong contenders to Kyle Walker at rightback left Raheem Sterling as the sole Blue in the team which won their last international, the 4-0 win in Kosovo in November.
But when Gareth Southgate names his squad today for Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark, the Blues SHOULD have three names on his list.
Southgate has resisted the temptation to rush Foden into his squad, despite the Stockport lad’s heroics in leading the under-17s to World Cup triumph, and his gradual breakthrough into the City squad.
Southgate was right - if Foden was not a regular starter for his club, he was not ready for his country.
Pep Guardiola had challenged Foden by offering him no favours. He was told that to get a place in the team, he had to prove he was worthy of it, both in training and when he played.
Foden rose to that challenge and last season he emerged as a star performer - and was arguably City’s best player after the re-start in June.
He started seven of the 14 games since lockdown, and the Blues won all of them. With plenty of midfield talent emerging for England in the last
couple of years, there is strong competition for places.
There is clamour for Jack Grealish to get the nod. The question is whether he would have forced his way into that stellar City midfield in the way Foden has done.
Foden is set to link up with Sterling, but there should be a third Blue in Southgate’s side, if the national team boss has been paying attention.
Walker was dropped after his part in the disastrous Nations League finals last summer, with young guns Trent Alexander-Arnold and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, as well as City youth product Kieran Trippier, all moving ahead of him, while James is also strongly in the reckoning.
But Walker has hit back strongly, and his combination of turbo-charged attacking surges and improved defensive concentration have made him a key figure for City this season.