England interim boss Lee Carsley has spoken about Arsenal star Ben White’s future with the national team.
On Tuesday night, England hosted Finland at Wembley for a UEFA Nations League match.
Harry Kane, marking his 100th appearance for England, was the standout player, scoring twice to secure a 2-0 win.
After the game, interim manager Carsley was again questioned about Ben White’s future with the team.
Miguel Delaney of The Independent noted on social media: “Carsley mentioned he has ‘not planned to’ speak to Ben White about a call-up, as White has requested not to be contacted.”
White left England’s 2022 World Cup camp for ‘personal reasons’ under Gareth Southgate and has not been selected since. Reports at the time suggested that an interaction between White and Southgate’s assistant, Steve Holland, led to his departure from the camp.
Reflecting on his first two matches in charge, Carsley said: “I definitely don’t feel comfortable. I’ve been out of my comfort zone this international window. It’s been enjoyable, but I’ve had to ensure that every single day I maintain high standards, and it seems the staff and everyone else have responded well.”
He added, “We’re doing our best, and we’ve been lucky to achieve two good results. Now it’s about building on that.”
Kane also praised the 50-year-old manager, stating, “He’s brought great energy and emphasized playing with freedom, using our best attributes. He encourages attacking and putting pressure on the opposition, as well as stifling them when we don’t have the ball.
“We’ve executed this well in the two matches. There’s always room for improvement, but it’s been a strong start, and it’s been great working with him.”
