Gareth Southgate has named Harry Maguire in his England squad for the Nations League ties against Iceland and Denmark early next month despite the defender’s involvement in court proceedings in Greece.
Maguire has been at the centre of a scandal since last Thursday night after he was arrested and later charged following a violent argument outside a bar in Mykonos, which also involved police officers. He has vigorously denied all charges.
Maguire’s trial got under way in Greece on Tuesday morning – he was not required to attend and was represented by his legal team – and Southgate had to reach a difficult decision over whether to include him for the games on 5 and 8 September.
The manager has stood by him in a 24-man squad that also features first call-ups for Manchester City’s Phil Foden, Maguire’s Manchester United teammate Mason Greenwood and the Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
On Maguire, Southgate said: “It is clearly a decision that is not straightforward and a decision that in the end I could only take on the information I have. I have spoken with Harry, I have the insight to the story which is very different to what is being reported. You can only make decisions on facts you are aware of.
“If facts or information changes I will have to review that decision, but I have a fantastic relationship with the boy, he has been a fantastic character for us … it’s important that he knows he has my support at this moment.
“I’m not going to get into hypotheticals of what might happen, but I have got to reserve the right to review if further information becomes available. You always make decisions to the best of your ability given the information you have. People may agree or disagree with those decisions, but it is a position where every manger finds himself.
“Harry regrets the fact he has brought that sort of focus and attention to the team – he apologised for that – but also has his own side of the story.”
Quick Guide
England squad for Nations League matches
Gareth Southgate’s 24-man squad to face Iceland (5 Sept) and Denmark (8 Sept) in Nations League group games
Tammy Abraham, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eric Dier, Phil Foden, Joe Gomez, Mason Greenwood, Dean Henderson, Danny Ings, Harry Kane, Michael Keane, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, James Ward-Prowse, Harry Winks
Southgate has called up City’s Raheem Sterling, who attended Usain Bolt’s birthday party in Jamaica last Friday. Bolt has subsequently announced that he is self-isolating after taking a Covid-19 test.
There are recalls for Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Michael Keane, James Ward-Prowse and Danny Ings but no place for any specialist left-back, with Danny Rose overlooked and Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw injured. “Danny Rose, we felt at this moment in time his performances need to be a little bit better,” Southgate said.
Addressing the first-time call-ups the manager said: “We are a year away from a European Championship and let’s see if they can start to break into that team, that squad. It gives us great competition for places.”
A clutch of other players have been overlooked, including John Stones, Fikayo Tomori, James Maddison, Jack Grealish, Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli and Callum Hudson-Odoi. The absent Ross Barkley is injured.