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Paul Parker has branded Gareth Southgate as disrespectful for calling up Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.
The Three Lions face Ukraine (September 9) and Scotland (September 12) in Euro 2024 qualifying action. Maguire has been selected by Southgate for those games despite falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford. The 30-year-old has appeared just once this season at a total of just 23 minutes.
Former Manchester United defender Parker reckons Southgate is risking upsetting his England squad as he continues to select Maguire despite his lack of game time. he told MyBettingSites:
"Southgate shouldn’t be picking Maguire and there’s no good reason to pick him. If Southgate wants the respect of his England squad then he shouldn’t be calling him up."
There are many English players that have shone this season and have been omitted by Southgate. James Ward-Prowse has been in scintillating form for West Ham United, bagging one goal and three assists in three games. Parker alluded to this:
“It’s disrespectful to other players that are playing week in week out and playing well for their clubs whilst Southgate is picking Maguire who is not deemed to be good enough for his club side and doesn’t want to go and play."
Maguire had the opportunity to join West Ham earlier this summer as the Hammers agreed on a £30 million fee with Manchester United. However, the former Red Devils captain opted to stay at Old Trafford.
The experienced center-back has impressed on the international stage for England, appearing at the, 2018 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2020, and the 2022 World Cup. He has earned 57 caps, scoring seven goals, and was named in the Team of the Tournament in the 2018 World Cup and the Euros.
However, Maguire is surplus to requirements at Manchester United, well behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof in the pecking order. Many argue that his place in the England squad points towards Southgate favoriting him.
Erik ten Hag insisted he was happy for Harry Maguire to stay at Manchester United
Maguire's decision to turn down West Ham took many by surprise given the lack of first-team opportunities he had been handed under Ten Hag. Moreover, he was stripped of the Red Devils' captaincy earlier this summer indicating how he wasn't viewed as a massive part of his manager's plans.
Ten Hag insisted he was happy to keep Maguire following his former captain's decision to stay at Old Trafford. He said (via BBC Sport):
"Harry is a player for us, I'm happy he's here, so we need a good squad."
The Manchester United boss continued by touching on the many options he has at center-back:
"We have four good centre-halves - with Luke Shaw if you count him, we have five - and we need that because we are going to play 50-60 games this season, all the players are internationals, so we have a lot of load to cover so yeah, I'm very happy Harry Maguire is here."
Maguire has two years left on his contract with Manchester United. He became the world's most expensive defender when he joined the club from Leicester City in 2019 for £80 million.
