Chelsea’s Gary Cahill: I am good enough for England

Gary Cahill of Chelsea

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill says he laughs at people who suggest he isn’t good enough for England.

The central defender has won the Champions League and Europa League at the London club and was a vital part of the team as England qualified for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Yet some people still think he isn’t good enough and it grates him.

“I like to think I’m established, but you’ve always got people who doubt you,” he said.

“I’m sure they look at the fact I was at Aston Villa and Bolton before Chelsea and still think: ‘Is he up to it? — he’s not been at Chelsea for 10 years’. I’m sure they do — 100 per cent — and I think that’s wrong.

“I must have done something right for Chelsea to want to sign me in the first place, but because I wasn’t at Barcelona or Manchester United as a kid, it’s gone against me somehow.

“It makes me laugh sometimes when people say someone, not just me, is not good enough. It’s as if they’re suggesting these teams or the England staff just pick up the paper and say: ‘Oh we’ll just take him’ and they haven’t sent 10 scouts to 10 different games to watch them first. It’s not done overnight — the signing or England selection. There is a lot of thought gone into it.

“I feel that having played in some big games for Chelsea, two major European finals, it really helps me when I face the same situation with England and I can bring that experience to the team.”

He added, with assured confidence: “But the only people I want to prove things to is my manager at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho, and Roy Hodgson with England. I need to show them that I’m at the level they can rely on to perform. As long as I do that, I’m good enough.”