Don’t keep Phil a Lion in waiting, Southgate
PEP GUARDIOLA showers Phil Foden with praise every chance he gets.
Phrases, such as “he’s an incredible player” to “the most talented I’ve ever seen”, give an unambiguous nod to the teenager’s potential.
And when Manchester City’s boss starts a sentence with the words: “I want to give him minutes, but...” – you know there is a good reason.
The Catalan then reels of the names of a glut of A-list midfielders who are available to him and, all of a sudden, Guardiola’s dilemma is brought into focus.
However, looking beyond those sound-bites, there can be little doubt that last season’s Treble-winner is being genuine.
City have been inundated with offers to take the youngster on loan in each of the last three seasons.
Ever since he was playing openage football there has been a queue of suitors willing to add him to their first-team squad – and play him, too.
But Guardiola thinks enough of Foden (right) to keep him with City.
He does not want the prodigious talent he sees to be diluted by the player coming into contact with lesser footballing mortals.
No, the Spaniard wants Foden where he – and he alone – can oversee his development.
And, if that means, for the time
DID you know... that
Bury have won an away game in the league more recently than Manchester United? And (sadly) they’re not in existence any longer*.
(*Stevenage 0 Bury 1, March 9,, Crystaly Palace 1 Manchester United 3,
February 27) being, the playmaker finds himself behind Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Rodri... well, fair enough.
But, as far as Gareth Southgate is concerned, Fabian Delph is ahead of him in the England pecking order.
The failure to admit Foden to the senior ranks alongside several other gifted teens is a head-scratcher.
Southgate knows all about the 19-year-old’s talent.
His double against Kosovo for the Under- 21s last month – after a virtuoso display in Italy during the summer – more than signposted in which direction Foden is heading.
And Southgate’s words this week do not bear scrutiny.
Mason Mount was at Derby County on loan from Chelsea when given the call to the seniors. Callum Hudson- Odoi hadn’t started a Premier League game for Chelsea. Nor Dominic Solanke for Liverpool.
When quizzed about Foden, Southgate said: “His time will come”, adding that it may be “too early with the expectation” and it was “difficult to assess” the player’s standing.
The best way for Southgate to really evaluate if it is the right time would, surely, to be to watch the teenager in training or he could speak to Raheem Sterling, who said, after the Dinamo Zagreb game, “I want to see him in the national
t eam” . By choosi ng Foden, Southgate would be strengthening Guardiola’s position at City. It is, after all, easier to justify using the Stockport lad if he is a regular for the Three Lions and picked on merit at the Etihad.
Of course, there could be a simpler explanation. England’s seniors will qualify for the Euros. They’re almost home and hosed already.
But the Under-21s are travelling to Austria to play the nearest group challengers. Aidy Boothroyd may have the greater need. I hope so.
If Guardiola can’t give Foden minutes, Southgate can.
And by doing so, he can give English football – and himself – a welcome shot in the arm.