England’s national team manager, Gareth Southgate, has come under intense scrutiny for his decision to exclude West Ham star James Ward-Prowse from the recent England squad. writes the Hammer.News. The controversial move has raised eyebrows among football fans and pundits alike.
Public opinion regarding Gareth Southgate’s managerial decisions has been in decline over the past year, and his standing among West Ham supporters has certainly suffered. Southgate’s omission of Ward-Prowse, despite his impressive form, has added to the growing discontent.
While Southgate did eventually recall West Ham hero Jarrod Bowen to the England squad, he continued to overlook Ward-Prowse. Both players have enjoyed a scintillating start to the new season, prompting widespread criticism when Southgate neglected to select them for the September internationals.
Even the Premier League’s media team appeared to take a dig at Southgate for his decision to omit Ward-Prowse. Former West Ham academy graduate Rio Ferdinand went so far as to suggest that Ward-Prowse should consider retiring from international duty in protest.
Another former Hammers star, Joe Cole, expressed his concern and warned Southgate that he risked making himself look “silly” by repeatedly overlooking Ward-Prowse.
Yet, when the England squad was unveiled, West Ham’s £30 million summer signing found himself excluded once again. Ward-Prowse responded to this latest snub by contributing eight goals in as many games, further highlighting his importance to West Ham.
Former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves criticized Southgate for his choice, asserting that only Jude Bellingham was in better form than Ward-Prowse. Hargreaves also noted that Southgate had previously emphasized selecting players based on their form.
However, Gareth Southgate’s explanation for excluding players like Ward-Prowse and Raheem Sterling has left many baffled. During an England press conference, Southgate employed a perplexing phrase to justify his decisions, stating that he needed to be cautious of “recency bias.”
The ongoing controversy surrounding Ward-Prowse’s absence from the England squad has reignited the debate over Southgate’s selection criteria and has left fans and pundits alike questioning the rationale behind his choices. The matter continues to be a topic of heated discussion within the footballing community.