Boss wants players desperate to represent England

Gareth Southgate had not appreciated Wilfried Zaha’s international future was on a “disappearing egg timer”, but the England manager is only interested in players desperate to represent the country.

Frustration at a lack of opportunities and continued interest from the Ivory Coast came to a head in late November as the Crystal Palace winger switched allegiance.

Zaha had made two senior appearances for England but the fact both came in friendlies allowed the winger to instead represent his country of birth.

The winger has sparkled since returning from the African Nations Cup and underlined his talent with an outstanding solo goal against Russia last week, bringing into focus the international switch Southgate tried in vain to reverse.

“I didn’t really appreciate there was this disappearing egg timer on him going to the Ivory Coast,” he said of a player he watched at Burnley, 22 days before his switch.

“He was the first player I went and saw when I got the job permanently but he’d already made his mind up to go across to the Ivory Coast.”

Southgate was unable to sway the player he coached at under-21 level, despite visiting him at Palace’s team hotel.

The England boss’ clear frustration at losing Zaha is tempered by seeing him playing “with a smile on his face” after difficult spells at Manchester United and Cardiff.

“I didn’t want to pick him just because there was a chance that might happen, but the first opportunity I had as permanent manager I did go and speak to him.”

Zaha joins the likes of Vic- tor Moses and Alex Iwobi in switching nationalities after representing England at one level or another, with eligibility something the Football Association is wary about.

“We’ve always got to have in our mind that there’s a hell of a lot of youngsters in our system, from 15s up, who are dual nationality or more, so there’s a constant dilemma,” Southgate added. “But in the end I have to focus on players who are desperate to play for England.

“If you feel that 100 per cent passion for playing for England, then I’m not sure it’s for me to sell that to you.”