V I FEEL I’M JUST CON OF THE BOYS NOW
Gallagher has had to work hard for recognition but now feels at home for his club and country
CONOR GALLAGHER has gone from World Cup outsider to Euro certainty.
The Chelsea star, who said he was “surprised” to get the call from Gareth Southgate for Qatar last year, is now a fixture for club and country.
Gallagher has started every Premier League game for Chelsea this season and is expected to be in from the off against Malta at Wembley on Friday night.
That is down to his incredible spirit and never-say-die attitude, underlined by his battling display in Sunday’s eight-goal thriller with champions Manchester City.
The 23-year-old (right, with Southgate) said: “I feel more relaxed in the squad and hopefully I can start to play more for England and be a bigger part of the team.
“Playing every game so far with Chelsea this season and doing well really helps with my confidence and I think you can see that on the pitch. I’ll always give my best for Chelsea and for England.
“When the World Cup squad was announced I wasn’t playing much for Chelsea and we were going through a tough period, that’s why I said I was surprised to be included.
“But I’m very confident in my ability and what I can do. Training and playing alongside midfielders worth more than £100million is good and shows where I’m at. Hopefully I can continue to perform and play as many games as I can.”
The midfielder, who has had loan spells at Charlton, Swansea, West Brom and Crystal Palace, was an unused substitute in all five England games in Qatar as Southgate’s men reached the quarters.
Gallagher worked his way up through the England age groups and has even been given the armband this season by Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino (above) when captain Reece James and Ben Chilwell have been out.
He grew up as the youngest of four footballing brothers and was stuck in goal in the back garden as a kid. But that background has taught him to fight for his place.
There was plenty of interest in him in the last transfer window but he never wanted to leave Stamford Bridge.
Gallagher, who has 18 months left on his contract at Chelsea,
wants to stay in London. He is a huge Chelsea fan and grew up idolising John Terry and Frank Lampard before being managed by the latter. He added: “Everyone knows Chelsea is my club and I love playing for them.
“The fans are brilliant and I’m loving it right now.
“It was a crazy period in terms of ins and outs at Chelsea in the summer. I had conversations with the manager and he said that he liked me as a player and that I was in his plans. I was really happy with that.
“John and Frank are two guys I’ve looked up to. They understand what it means to play for the club and what the club expects. Frank was my manager last season and I spoke with him more. He’s helped me a lot so I’ve been very lucky to be able to speak to those guys.”
Gallagher should not expect too stern a test at Wembley on Friday. Malta have lost all seven of their qualifiers so far, scoring just two goals and conceding 18, and England beat them 4-0 on Maltese soil in June. The Three Lions are 1-100 to collect three points.