Ben White cried after England phone call, selection U-turn latest and Lee Carsley admission
If Ben White still harbours ambitions of playing for England again, he might be hoping that Lee Carsley doesn’t become Gareth Southgate’s permanent England successor.
White, who has four caps to his name, told Southgate back in March that he didn’t want to be considered for selection, which resulted in him missing out on Euro 2024. The decision followed his departure from the Three Lions squad during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to ‘personal reasons’.
The exact reason behind his withdrawal remains a mystery, though there are suggestions that he took offence to a remark made by Southgate’s assistant, Steve Holland. With Southgate and Holland no longer part of the England set-up, White is considering making himself available again.
Interim boss Carsley has heard rumours about White’s potential desire to return to the England fold but says nothing has officially changed. Having not named the 26-year-old in his squad for the Nations League games against Ireland and Finland, Carsley said: “I’ve seen in some of the press reports that he was open to [returning], but it’s gone no further.
“So, as far as I’m aware, he wasn’t available for selection. Nothing’s changed in my two weeks of being here.”
Carsley offered some hope to White though, adding: “Any player that’s playing well in the Premier League, that’s playing week in, week out, especially at the level that Arsenal play at, is obviously going to be under consideration. But he wasn’t one based on what his wishes from the past [were].”
However, representing his country appears to mean a great deal to White, who shed tears of joy after receiving a last-minute call-up to the delayed Euro 2020 following an injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold. Recalling the moment his selection was confirmed, White told Sky Sports: “I got a phone call, got told the news. I was out for dinner, I didn’t really believe it!
“Yeah, I just sat and cried for about an hour. I couldn’t really believe it and I don’t think it’s settled in yet. I didn’t really think that I would be called.
