Kane hits out at player withdrawals ahead of Nations League games

LONDON: England skipper Harry Kane has hit out at several players who withdrew from the national team ahead of their Nations League matches against Greece and Ireland, saying on Wednesday that country must always come before club football.

England play Greece away on Thursday followed by Ireland three days later at Wembley but nine players, some of them regular starters, who were called up by interim boss Lee Carsley have pulled out due to injuries.

Manchester City’s Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Southampton keeper Aaron Ramsdale and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite withdrew from the squad.

Kane said this was never the case when Gareth Southgate was in charge as he created an environment where players looked forward to England camps.

“The joy to play for England, I think he brought that back. Every camp, people were excited to come, people wanted to play for England and that’s the most important thing. I think England comes before anything, comes before club,” Kane told ITV Sport.

“It’s the most important thing you play as a professional footballer. Gareth was hot on that and he wasn’t afraid to make decisions if that started to drift from certain players.