Former England star Chris Waddle reckons Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel should avoid calling up Arsenal defender Ben White for at least two years.
Tuchel announced his 26-man squad to face Albania and Latvia for their first two World Cup qualifiers with White left out over injury issues this season.
White returned early from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for what the Football Association called “personal reasons” but reports later emerged of an alleged bust-up with former England assistant Steve Holland.
White’s versatility would’ve come in handy for England at Euro 2024 as the Three Lions reached the final, where they eventually lost to Spain, before Gareth Southgate and assistant Holland resigned from their positions.
The England international has had injury issues this season and made only seven Premier League starts under Mikel Arteta for Arsenal this term.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Tuchel said of White: “He’d love to be back in the squad. I just think it’s a bit too early now given the seriousness of the injury that he had.”
He added: “We are honoured speaking to him, speaking to Ben, delighted that he’s back on the bench. Now it’s just a question of getting more minutes, more rhythm. He wants to be back.”
But ex-Newcastle and Sheffield Wednesday winger Waddle insists that White shouldn’t be picked for two years after he “spat the dummy out”.
Waddle told 10bet: “No, I wouldn’t bring Ben White back in. He said he didn’t want to be picked again.
“He spat the dummy out, didn’t he? So now he’s alright to play. So, he wants to pick and choose his England career?
“Listen, you would never say you never want to play for England.
“I would never have said that. I would have played if I was 50. So, modern day players who say that, I’m not being picked, so don’t pick me again, all of a sudden become available.
“For the time he didn’t play, he didn’t want to play, I would say, ‘Well, we’ll give you the same ban’.
“So if it was a year or two years, then I’d consider you in two years’ time. For me, you should never say no.
“Now, OK, if you don’t get on with the manager and you don’t like the style of play, you wouldn’t be picked anyway. But when you get a late call-up, you don’t say no.”