CONOR KEY IN QATAR
GRAHAM POTTER believes World Cup new boy Conor Gallagher can become a key player for England in Qatar.
The Chelsea midfielder was one of the surprise choices in Three Lions’ coach Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad.
The 22-year-old has only four caps and two starts for England going into the tournament, but such has been his good form that Southgate has opted to take him.
And Potter believes Southgate has made the right choice – because Gallagher can find “solutions” on the pitch.
Chelsea face a tricky final game before the World Cup at Newcastle today and are without a win in their last four league games. But Gallagher at least will be on a high – and
Potter (right) said: “Conor has a nice knack of finding solutions on the pitch – he can make something happen.
“In another world he could have five Premier League goals this season.
“He will give everything every day, there won’t be a problem from him if he’s selected or not, which is important if in a squad.
“It’s a wonderful experience and opportunity. He will grasp it
with everything he has, make the most of it and definitely come back better.
“He is a really impressive young man, in terms of how he conducts himself, how he trains. “He gives his best all the time. You see how he plays the game, full of intensity. He has an exciting future.”
The remnants of Chelsea’s squad will fly to Abu Dhabi next month for warm-weather training while the World Cup is on.
But with the world discussing climate change at COP27, Potter admitted an alternative to aviation – a major cause of global warming – must be found.
He added: “If you think about the amount of emissions from long-haul flights, that is not great. If we are serious about it, and we should be, we should be able to find a solution.”