Southgate defiant on Ivan Toney's England call-up amid betting probe

‘I don’t know on what basis we WOULDN’T pick him’: Gareth Southgate defends Ivan Toney’s call-up for England’s Euro 2024 qualifiers… despite Brentford striker being charged with 262 alleged breaches of FA betting rules

  • Ivan Toney was the stand-out name called up for England’s latest matches
  • The Brentford striker has a hearing into alleged betting offences imminently
  • Gareth Southgate has revealed that he never considered not calling Toney up 

Gareth Southgate handed in-form Ivan Toney a recall to the England squad despite the Brentford star’s imminent hearing into betting offences.

The England boss axed Trent Alexander-Arnold from his first post-World Cup squad, but Kyle Walker was selected despite being investigated by police over an incident in a Manchester pub.

Raheem Sterling was omitted due to a hamstring problem. Southgate said he would have selected the Chelsea man had he been fit.

Southgate does not believe Toney’s FA disciplinary hearing into gambling breaches should prevent the striker, who has scored 17 goals for Brentford this season, being called up.

Toney has admitted some, but not all, of 262 charges made against him by the FA.


Gareth Southgate (left) heaped praise on the resilience of Ivan Toney (right) amid an FA probe

Southgate said: ‘The fact is, he is playing for his club. There hasn’t been a trial or any judgment so I don’t know on what basis we wouldn’t pick him.

‘Ivan has been consistent across the season. I also like his sense of belief on the pitch. 

‘I saw him at Arsenal and he went on that pitch thinking he would cause havoc that day. That’s a good sign, that’s what you need if you’re going to play for your country.’

Alexander-Arnold’s exclusion was perhaps the biggest call, but it was hardly a shock given his difficult season with Liverpool, who are well off the pace in the Premier League.

Southgate said: ‘I have always communicated clearly with all of the players on what we think their strengths are and what we think they might be able to improve on.

‘In the past we have maybe taken more players at right back, but this is the time of the season when you don’t want to carry too many if they are not going to play. They are as well to have a break.

‘I am not going into a coaching conversation about all the players who have not made the squad. They know the reasons why, we always give clarity on that.’

On Walker’s inclusion, Southgate added: ‘It’s a complicated situation, I’ve spoken at length with him.

‘There’s no conclusive evidence to leave him out at this stage. I have to be careful on being the moral judge on things. We feel we want him with us and it’s the right thing to do.

‘When you are an England player, there is an even higher bar on how you conduct yourself. We are not taking decisions lightly.’

Southgate insisted that Ben White, who is not in the squad, remains in contention after the Arsenal right back left the World Cup squad for ‘personal reasons’. 

Southgate said he saw no reason not to pick Toney, despite the striker pleading guilty to some of the 262 breaches of the FA’s betting rules 

ENGLAND SQUAD FOR EURO 2024 QUALIFIERS

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)

Defenders: Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), James Maddison (Leicester City), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (West Ham)

Forwards: Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford)

Chelsea defensive pair Reece James and Ben Chilwell return after missing the tournament in Qatar through injury. Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is back as Everton’s Conor Coady is left out, perhaps ending his England career. Tottenham’s Eric Dier keeps his spot despite an indifferent season.

England face Italy on Thursday before welcoming Ukraine to Wembley a week on Sunday as the team’s Euro 2024 qualification campaign gets underway.

Southgate added: ‘I do think we can (win the Euros). That’s the challenge. I don’t think the players need any more evidence of what’s possible. They have played in the biggest games in world football bar one (the World Cup final). They’ve had results against most of the top teams but we’ve got to do that more consistently.

‘The scenario of going to Italy, where we haven’t won for decades, is a classic type of game that we’ve got to start winning. If we are looking for the next step to take as a team, that is it.’

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