Harry Maguire ‘more than capable of playing at highest level’ says England boss Gareth Southgate
- Planet Sport writer
- 28 March 2022
England manager Gareth Southgate has given his backing to under-fire Manchester United captain Harry Maguire as the centre-back prepares for Tuesday’s friendly with Ivory Coast.
Maguire was an unused substitute as England kicked off the international break with a 2-1 comeback victory over Switzerland.
The Three Lions return to Wembley stadium this Tuesday night as they welcome Ivory Coast - England's first non-European opposition since 2018.
Southgate is set to make a number of changes, with Maguire expected to start despite his questionable form with Manchester United.
The England boss said: "I hope we have an environment that all the players feel they can be the best versions of themselves. A lot of that is credit to the environment they have created.
"We have got super characters. I am looking at the young players coming in, the older players are all sitting with them at meal times, making them feel relaxed and at ease.
"Then there's clarity on your job, on the pitch, what's expected of you. I think they are things we have to achieve to let people perform at the best level.
"In terms of selection, that's always a difficult conundrum because we've got players who we know have performed well in an England shirt.
"There's got to be some level of scrutiny on how people are playing with their clubs because that has got to be a factor in it.
"In the end we need the best players possible, playing at their best level to give ourselves the best chance of winning."
During the pre-match press conference, Southgate was pushed specifically on Maguire, with the manager backing the 29-year-old's record in international football.
He said: "He has got us to a World Cup semi-final and a European Championship final, so there's no doubt he is more than capable of playing at the highest level.
"He was very good for us in the autumn and, yeah, the club are in a difficult moment. There could be any number of reasons for that.
"That doesn't mean that players can be poor for a couple of years and then still find their way in and sometimes it depends on competition for positions.
"We've obviously left some forward players out, who haven't been in good form, but there's direct replacements, experienced replacements, for those players. As I say, it is a complicated decision."
England's clash with Ivory Coast kicks off at 19:45 GMT.
