REECE JAMES HAS ONE FINAL CHANCE BEFORE EURO 2024 – SOUTHGATE
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Gareth Southgate says Chelsea defender, Reece James has one final chance if he must make the Euro 2024 squad, having taking a ‘risk’ by opting not to join up with England this month.
The Three Lions boss told the written media on Thursday he had been hoping to call up Chelsea captain James but the 23-year-old preferred to skip the European Championship qualifiers with Malta and North Macedonia to focus on his fitness.
The right-back – who missed the World Cup with a knee problem – has only just returned to club football after a long hamstring injury which disrupted his start to this season.
While Southgate said he “can understand” James’ decision and had a “really good, long conversation” with the defender, he pointed out that there is just one more international break before next summer’s tournament and agreed with the suggestion that competition for places at right-back is fierce at the moment.
“I was hoping to call up Reece James but he doesn’t feel he’s quite ready,” said Southgate.
“I understand that, he’s had a long path back from a number of injuries. He’s probably a bit cautious in that respect, but I can understand why.
“There is [competition for places] and that’s the risk. He’s only got one more squad before the Euros. So he knows that. We’ve got belief in what he can do. And equally we’re going to learn a lot about him in the next few months playing as a full-back rather than a wing-back [at Chelsea] because that’s also a different role that’s going to have different demands.
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