Kyle Walker dubs omission from Lee Carsley's first England squad 'the right call' - 'You have to take it on the chin'
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Published 05/09/2024 at 21:05 GMT+1
Kyle Walker played every minute of England's run to the Euro 2024 final this summer, but missed out on Lee Carsley's first squad. Rico Lewis was included for England's matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland and has started each match for Pep Guardiola this season. Walker, despite the disappointment, said that his omission was the correct decision given his lack of playing time.
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Video credit: SNTV
Kyle Walker admitted that his absence from Lee Carsley’s first England squad was “the right call” after a lack of game time this season.
The Manchester City full-back has played just three minutes for the Premier League champions this term, and joined the likes of Marcus Rashford, James Maddison and Ivan Toney in also missing out on international call-ups.
But after playing every minute as England reached the Euro 2024 final, the 34-year-old was perhaps the biggest omission for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.
Walker revealed that he and interim manager Carsley spoke before the squad was announced, and the defender said he is determined to win his place back.
“Obviously with a new manager and everything like that, you are always expecting a few changes,” Walker explained on his BBC podcast, ‘You’ll Never Beat Kyle Walker’.
“I’m obviously disappointed because representing your country is always the highest things, and especially for England when we are doing so well.
“But I haven’t played many minutes this season, so you have to take it on the chin. He [Lee Carsley] was really nice and gave me a ring a couple of hours before the squad was announced, and we just had a conversation.
“I said, ‘I’m on 90 caps and I want to be involved’. But I think it is on performances and merit.
“I think it’s the right call. I need to make sure that I am proving him wrong in the near future.”
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Carsley confirmed that it was Walker’s lack of competitive match participation that saw him miss out, with called-up teenager Rico Lewis starting every match for Pep Guardiola’s side this season.
“Kyle hasn’t played this season, that would suggest City are phasing him in gently, we have to respect that,” said Carsley in his pre-match press conference.
“It’s important that players coming in are ready to play and up to speed.”
Walker credits Pep with love for football
Speaking about his various managers in his career, Walker had a special word for current boss Guardiola.
The English right-back credited the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach with improving his knowledge of the sport, bringing his game on “leaps and bounds”.
And Guardiola’s “obsession” with football has rubbed off on Walker since the former Tottenham star joined the Manchester club in 2017.
“He’s class,” said Walker. “He’s unbelievable. I think my game over the last seven years has come on leaps and bounds.
“I’m probably not as much of a marauding full-back as I was at Tottenham. But reading the game and I’ve probably fallen in love with the game more by working under Pep.
“He’s that obsessed by the game of football and how the chess pieces are going to be moved.
“I probably wouldn’t even be doing this [podcast] because I probably wouldn’t have the knowledge. I think with time and experience and going through different situations, you learn.
“But I probably became more into football when I signed for City than I ever was prior to that.”
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