Rio Ferdinand Message To Gareth Southgate on Jadon Sancho Snub finally revealed
Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho was left out of the recent England squad by the national team manager, Gareth Southgate. This omission has triggered so much reaction and Red Devils legend, Rio Ferdinand has questioned this decision.
According to Rio Ferdinand, the former England defender said he is yet to understand the reason behind Gareth Southgate’s decision to omit Jadon Sancho from his most recent England squad.
The Manchester United winger has regained his best form this season following Erik ten Hag’s arrival at Old Trafford and has been instrumental in his team’s recovery under their new boss.
Early in Southgate’s tenure, Sancho played a key role, but he has been gradually pulled out since Euro 2020, where he was one of three players to miss a penalty in the shootout against Italy.
Responding to Sancho’s latest absence ahead of tonight’s Nations League match against the Azzurri, Ferdinand stated that Southgate would have a monumental rebuilding task on his shoulders if he decided to select Sancho again prior to the World Cup.
He told Vibe: “He’s sitting there thinking what more do I have to do? He didn’t like him when he was on fire so he must be thinking that’s the problem with Jadon Sancho, there’s going to be a mental block.
“He’s going to have to work hard. If he gets in the squad now, Gareth Southgate’s going to have to do a lot of work mentally rebuilding him.
“Jadon will be thinking I’ve forced him to put me in here anyway but he isn’t going to play me. And when he does play me he doesn’t really want to play me.
“Those are the thoughts that will go through his head. Mentally he’s a hard one to get back if he ever gets back in the squad.”
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While Southgate has disregarded the merits of the in-form Sancho, he has kept the much-maligned United captain Harry Maguire in the lineup despite Ten Hag’s decision to remove him.
“You always have to back your judgment and we feel he is an important player,” said Southgate, who joked he was putting ‘whatever reputation I have’ on the line by picking Maguire.
“If we thought there were experienced players ready to step in and play at a level above him there would be a different consideration and in some positions, there would be a different level of competition in that way.
“He is our most dominant aerial center-back. He and John [Stones] are incredible with the ball.”
