Milner left to wonder if his England race is run
Liverpool’s journeyman set for heart-to-heart with Sam over his future
THIS is a difficult moment for James Milner. After 61 appearances for England, over the course of seven years and four tournaments, he is wondering if his journey has reached its end.
While the nation is preparing for a fresh start under new manager Sam Allardyce, Liverpool’s vice-captain is wrestling with one of the biggest decisions of his career: does he continue with England or has the time come to step aside and let someone younger come through?
Milner has had correspondence with Allardyce while he has been away on Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States and, some time soon, the pair will meet for a frank conversation.
Milner only appeared briefly in the doomed Euro 2016 campaign — the last three minutes against Russia in Marseille — and that was symptomatic of how things became for him under Roy Hodgson. Of the last 12 games England have contested, he was on the field for just 196 minutes.
Some may assume he will meet Allardyce to issue an ultimatum — play me or I’ll quit — but that is not in his nature. Milner is looking for guidance and knows he will get honesty from a man with whom he worked at Newcastle.
‘I am at a place where it is pointless me being there if I am not going to play,’ said Milner. ‘With the good young players that we have coming through, it is pointless me taking up a spot just because I am reliable.
‘These young players can learn a lot from being involved in the qualifying campaigns. I’m fortunate to have been involved in international football since I was 17 or 18 without stopping. If I’m traveling around and know I’m not going to play, it’s something I’ll have to consider.’
From youth football, through to the Under-21s and beyond, Milner has worn the Three Lions on his chest 131 times; he holds the record number of caps for the Under-21s (46) and would never turn his back on his country.
What Milner is doing is looking at the bigger picture. There are players in Gareth Southgate’s group, he feels, whose education would be accelerated if they were occasionally called up with the seniors, so it isn’t so much of a culture shock when the time comes to graduate.
‘I will have to see what (Sam) says,’ said Milner. ‘He might come in and say, “I want you for this, this and this”, or he might say, “I have got a great young squad and you won’t be involved as much”.
‘I am happy it is Sam as I know I can have a good conversation with him and it will be honest. That is all I ever wanted. In football, you know the people who rate you and people who don’t rate you. As long as they tell you that and you know where you stand, that is fine by me.
‘I will have to speak to Sam about travelling around, at my age, and not featuring. Is that a good thing for myself and the side?
‘If a younger guy had come in and maybe done the same job in the summer he would have taken a lot more from it than I would.’
Should this be the end, though, it will come with a sour taste.
His eyes narrow and he clamps his hands together when the subject turns to his playing time in France; given he was on the pitch when Russia equalised in Marseille, it could be deduced Hodgson held him accountable, as Georgi Shennikov eluded him to cross for Vasili Berezutski.
If there is any animosity towards the man who has departed, Milner — who during our time together gives a subtle hint, with a wink, that he was the winner of the darts tournament that the squad kept shrouded in secrecy — won’t show it.
‘I am just disappointed by the whole summer really,’ said Milner, who finished last season for Liverpool in sparkling form. ‘Over the last couple of years with England I have not really played too much.
‘The manager picks his team. If you’re doing the right thing with him then you’ll get a chance that he’ll pick you on form. If not, then you’re out.’
That is also true of Jurgen Klopp and he has raised the option of Milner playing as an emergency leftback in the new season; it wouldn’t be his preferred position but there won’t be any complaining.
‘I’m confident that, given the game time, I can perform in whatever position the manager puts me in and still fight for a place in that midfield as well,’ said Milner. ‘Ultimately it’s where he picks me. I will go out there and do as well as I can.’
Situations, as Milner knows, may change; the approach to doing his best, however, will never alter.