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<\/p>\nKyle Walker scored his first international goal in England\u2019s 1-1 draw with Ukraine<\/p>\n
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Gareth Southgate had to talk Kyle Walker out of international retirement twice, the England manager has revealed, as he admitted the wing-back probably didn\u2019t realise how much he is valued by the national team. The discussions happened after Euro 2020 and then again after the 2022 World Cup, where Southgate echoed Pep Guardiola in his desire to get the 33-year-old to stay. <\/p>\n
Walker himself admitted that he had thought his \u201cdays were numbered\u201d due to the range of right-backs coming through, as well as the fact that he had given up so many summers with international commitments. It was ultimately his good relationship with Southgate that saw him twice talked around.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always all credit to him and I\u2019ve talked him out of retirement twice,\u201d Southgate said. \u201cOut of international football, after the Euros and after the World Cup, I think he loves being here and he\u2019s wanted to keep going and now he\u2019s thinking about how many caps he can get. He\u2019s critical to us. If we\u2019re talking about world-class players in their position in our team then he\u2019s probably one of them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he didn\u2019t realise how much value we have him and how important he is for us. He\u2019s probably not going to thank me for sharing that!\u201d<\/p>\n
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It did lead to an amusing moment as Southgate was asked for more information only to realise he revealed something he maybe shouldn\u2019t have \u2013 \u201cNo, no there\u2019s no need for detail and I probably realise I\u2019ve overstepped here!\u201d \u2013 which led him to come up to Walker and laugh \u201cI told you!\u201d as the full-back himself spoke to the press. Walker confirmed the account, though, as he explained the thinking behind the initial decision and his willingness to continue. The form of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Reece James had much to do with it, only for Walker to rediscover his best.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I\u2019m playing well. Obviously, in a moment, at the time that me and Gareth spoke, the likes of Trent, Tripps, Reece James coming through\u2026 You do think your days are numbered. And to sacrifice how many holidays and summers that I\u2019ve sacrificed. I\u2019ve been doing this since I was 19 [when] I joined the senior team. I\u2019m 33 now. Me and Gareth have a good relationship off the field. We do speak and I feel that I can still bring something to the team. So why stop?\u201d<\/p>\n
Southgate said he believes Walker has got better with age and also become a senior figure around the group.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t always happen but he has, I think, not only playing but also around the training, the way I hear him speak when he\u2019s interviewed, his influence on the group, he\u2019s become a really mature leader for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut also the way he\u2019s trained all week, his influence on younger players in the group. His all-round game, great composure in a position where you don\u2019t always find it and our senior players were important, and he was the pick against Ukraine.<\/p>\n
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Gareth Southgate convinced Kyle Walker not to retire after the World Cup in 2022<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got huge experience of winning big matches and all week, I pulled him two or three days into the training because his focus was really clear, the way he was organising on the pitch and I think he\u2019s enjoying the extra responsibility he\u2019s had at his club and I know he\u2019s ready to embrace that with us as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Southgate pointed to how he matched Mykhailo Mudryk for pace.<\/p>\n
\u201cMudryk has not hit the heights yet in the Premier League but he\u2019s a bloody dangerous player. His ability to control those counterattacks was critical.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was all echoed by Jordan Pickford, who also pointed to how he\u2019s matched Kylian Mbappe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he is the best right-back in the world. His pace against Mudryk, who is absolutely rapid, games against Mbappe, his defensive stuff as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s the best right-back in the world for me and he definitely helps as well, he\u2019s experienced now, he is 33, got that experienced head and he\u2019s been at City winning the titles he\u2019s won and everything he\u2019s done his career. He helps us as players. But the experience side of him is really good to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Pickford even said Walker \u201chas got to be\u201d the quickest player he\u2019s seen, \u201cno doubt\u201d. When this was put to Walker afterwards, he laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I\u2019m going to give him a coke when I get on the bus then!\u201d<\/p>\n