Ben White isn’t your average footballer. He loves playing the game, but doesn’t particularly enjoy watching it. “It’s weird,” former Spain international Cesc Fabregas said on the Planet Premier League podcast, “it is not something that happens very often. Maybe only five per cent of the players are like that. But it is what it is, and we have to respect it.”
Of course, that’s not the reality of the situation at all. Fabregas is right in the sense that we should respect White’s “weird” relationship with football, but plenty of people don’t. Several Daily Mail writers and readers have already got themselves all riled up by the Arsenal defender’s refusal to make himself available for England selection – and that’s fine. It’s ridiculous, but that’s their right.
But they must then understand that White is just as entitled to turn down the chance to represent his country.
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The ultimate goal
Despite the predictable and depressing references to war we’ve seen in the UK press in recent days, this is not mandatory military service we’re talking about here. An England call-up is an invitation, not an obligation.
Surprise and disappointment are perfectly legitimate responses to White’s decision. It’s hard for many of us to get our heads round the rejection. Most of us absolutely love football. We’ve played it since we were kids. We still play it today. And we watch it constantly, as much as we possibly can, every single day of the week.
And while we may differ in the sense that we would have preferred to play for AC Milan rather than Inter, or Liverpool instead of Manchester United, or Barcelona over Real Madrid, we all undoubtedly dreamt of lining out for our country. For many, that remains the ultimate goal, the absolute pinnacle of professional football – but not everyone.
Club over country
White has been labelled a “disgrace” by former England Under-21 international Jamie O’Hara. “Do you know how many people will give their right arm to just sit on the bench for England and have the opportunity to represent their nation?” the ex-Spurs midfielder told Grosvenor Sport. “Then you’ve got this guy who goes, ‘Oh, I don’t really like football’ and ‘Gareth Southgate hasn’t really given me a chance’… Do me a favour! It’s your country for crying out loud!”
However, while most England supporters would jump at the chance to take White’s place in Southgate’s squad, it’s worth remembering amid all of the bitter backlash that there are a huge amount of football fans that place club far above country.
One only has to listen to the constant whining about the length and regularity of international breaks to see where some supporters’ loyalties really lie. Patriotism and passion are often forgotten during the apparently unbearable two-week wait for Premier League play to resume.
What went wrong?
It’s still undeniably strange that White appears to have lost all interest in playing for England. When he made his debut in 2021 at the age of 23, he said it was “something you dream of as a kid”. He added that he “loved every minute of it”.
What went wrong, then? Why did White feel compelled to walk out in the middle of his nation’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar – and refuse to return? Southgate has vehemently denied that an alleged falling-out between White and assistant manager Steve Holland have anything to do with the right-back’s self-imposed exile.
“That has sort of been mentioned in articles and I don’t like that,” the Three Lions boss said. “People can talk about me, and I have to accept that things get said that are false about me. For whatever reason in this role, you have to almost stomach that. But I’m not prepared for that to happen for a key member of my coaching team, because that is not the reason Ben is unavailable for selection.”
Reason is irrelevant
As for White, he’s remained silent, which is hardly helpful in terms of defusing the furore. The wild speculation is only going to continue, particularly with the 26-year-old playing an important role in Arsenal’s Premier League title bid.
Many supporters understandably want to know why the wonderfully productive relationship that White enjoys with Bukayo Saka on the right flank of the Gunners attack won’t be replicated at international level with England.
It’s certainly a shame from a sporting perspective but, in truth, the reason is irrelevant. This is White’s personal choice. He doesn’t want to play for England – and that’s the only thing that matters.
No point holding onto an unhappy player
Indeed, there’s absolutely no point in Southgate trying to convince White to play – not least because he shouldn’t have to. If White doesn’t consider an England call-up an honour, fine, that’s his prerogative, and Southgate can just pick someone who deems it a privilege just to be a part of the squad – and would, thus, be fiercely committed to the cause.
At the end of the day, if a player isn’t happy, there’s no point in holding onto him – and that’s as true at club level as it is in the international game. It’s a logical approach to a common problem.
Of course, this is a curious case that will continue to attract attention. After all, we live in an era in which some players are so desperate to play international football that they end up lining out for two nations. White doesn’t even play for one, which makes him something of an oddity.
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Best just to move on
However, as even Southgate said himself, White is not the first player to turn down a call-up, and he’s unlikely to be the last. Players always have their reasons for walking away: a lack of game time (Jamie Carragher); falling out with the manager (Chris Sutton); wanting to spend more time with the family (Paul Scholes).
So, it’s a shame we don’t know exactly why White doesn’t want to play. But, at the end of the day, it’s a decision he’s free to take. Will he regret it? Maybe, maybe not. Southgate has left the door open, meaning White could return to the fold one day.
For now, though, White clearly feels that he can do without England. And England can certainly do without White. It may be a weird decision, but it really would be best for all of of the parties involved – and indeed the country’s Euro 2024 campaign – if everyone just respected it.
