MY ACCOUNT
Roma director Tiago Pinto says the club “cannot accept” Gareth Southgate’s reasons to leave Tammy Abraham and Chris Smalling out of England’s World Cup squad.
The Giallorossi pair had hoped to push for inclusion in the Three Lions’ 26-man party for Qatar 2022.
Abraham was mooted as a possible understudy for Harry Kane, having scored 27 goals for Roma last season, but after only managing four in 20 appearances in 2022-23 so far, Southgate instead turned to in-form Newcastle United frontman Callum Wilson.
The presence of England regular Harry Maguire too in defence over Smalling, despite limited minutes for Manchester United, has left Pinto fuming.
“I cannot accept, both Roma and the representatives of other clubs, that people try to justify international call-ups with what is happening at club level,” Pinto told DAZN.
“If Tammy is not part of the England squad because he didn’t score over the last month, for example, but they called up a player benched for his club yesterday, then Smalling ought to be a starter for England.”
Abraham ultimately paid the price for a drought of form at the wrong time, as Southgate suggested in his squad selection press conference.
Pinto admits there is further growing room for the attacker too, adding: “I want to say we are satisfied with Tammy, but always with the perspective that he can still improve, and I am sure he will do.
“We’re pleased to see our players go to the World Cup, because it is important for them, but I cannot accept that after a call-up there is talk about the way these players work at Roma as justification for a personal choice.”
