There’s no conspiracy, Southgate simply prefers Wilson to Toney
WOULD the Football Association have pressured Gareth Southgate to leave out Ivan Toney over gambling allegations? It seems unlikely. This is no echo of the decision made over Rio Ferdinand’s selection for a European Championship match against Turkey in 2003. Back then, there was a very real fear that choosing Ferdinand after he missed a drugs test could have direct repercussions for England, with the match deciding which country progressed to the 2004 European Championship finals. If it transpired England fielded a player knowing he was going to be banned, it was thought Turkey could contest the result of the match, and maybe even the campaign. Drug testing, through the umbrella of the World Anti-Doping Agency and United Kingdom AntiDoping, is a global affair. The charge against Toney is an FA matter and to stand him down would pre-judge the process. More likely, Southgate simply prefers Callum Wilson.