Liverpool’s Clyne out of England squad.PHOTO/courtesy
BURTON-ON-TRENT, United Kingdom, May 30 – Liverpool right-back Nathaniel Clyne has withdrawn from the England squad due to injury, national team manager Gareth Southgate revealed on Tuesday.
“We’ll be without Nathaniel Clyne,” Southgate told reporters at the St George’s Park national football centre in Burton-on-Trent, central England.
“He’s been carrying an injury and that’s why we named three right-backs. We thought that might be a bit of an issue. So we’ll be with Kieran (Trippier) and Kyle Walker.”
Southgate did not specify the nature of Clyne’s injury.
Clyne’s withdrawal increases the chances of Tottenham Hotspur right-back Trippier winning his first England cap after he was called up for the first time.
England play Scotland in a World Cup qualifier in Glasgow on June 10 before travelling to Paris to tackle France in a friendly on June 13.
One-time captain Wayne Rooney has been omitted from a second successive squad, having lost his place in Manchester United’s starting XI.
Rooney, 31, indicated earlier this week that he could elect to leave Old Trafford during the close season.
He said he had received offers from clubs in England and abroad, but said formative club Everton were the only Premier League team he would contemplate joining.
Despite having overlooked him again, Southgate said Rooney’s international career was not necessarily over.
“It doesn’t have to be,” Southgate said. “From Wayne’s point of view, he hasn’t played very much this season.
“Wayne’s got some decisions to make this summer, but the hope is that he’s back. A player of his quality, there is no way we would dismiss him.
“You want your players playing in the biggest possible games. I’ve no idea what the future is for Wayne at Manchester United, so it’s impossible for me to comment if he’s part of the plans or not.
“I’ve spoken to him in the past, but not this time. I think there’s only so many times you can speak about the situation.
“I’m conscious from his point of view that it’s always a big story when you don’t select him.”
Southgate also said he had not yet decided who would captain England in their two forthcoming games.
“There are a lot of potential leaders emerging from this group and that’s good because there’s always been a focus on one person and an over-reliance on one person,” he said.
“We’re in a position where we can go a number of different ways with that.”
