KYLE WALKER has admitted he ‘deserved to be dropped’ by England after breaching lockdown in the spring.
The Manchester City star, 30, broke coronavirus rules in April after hosting a sex party with two hookers – at which time he’d already gone eight months without playing for England.
Kyle Walker has revealed being axed by England was the best thing for himCredit: Rex Features
Seething Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate vowed never to pick Walker again.
But after turning things around, the right-back earned a recall – only to be sent-off in the nervy 1-0 win over Iceland in September.
Two months on, Walker is firmly back in the Three Lions set-up once more – and he credits being axed by Southgate for it.
Walker told the Daily Mail: “England’s game with Iceland and what happened after it was important for me.
“I’d been left out of the squad for more than a year.
“I had played for England since I was 21. As soon as the squad’s announced, you get used to being in it.
“I thought, ‘Maybe I’m just not [Southgate’s] cup of tea any more’. I told him I had probably taken it for granted a bit because I had been in the team for so long.”
Walker went on to say being dropped was the best thing for his Three Lions future, in the long run.
Kyle Walker saw red after 70 minutes of September’s game against IcelandCredit: Rex Features
The full-back added: “As much as I hate to admit it, I probably needed to be dropped to realise the importance of playing for England.
“Not that I lost it. But I just took it for granted. I thought I’d be in the squad.
“So, come the Iceland game, it was difficult – I wanted to prove that, even though I’m 30 years old, I still had a lot to offer.
“I think he knows what I can do as a footballer but I felt like I was that eager to show him that I needed to stay in the squad, I made decisions on the pitch that I don’t normally make.
“I thought I could get that ball against Iceland. Maybe I wasn’t quite sharp enough coming back off holiday. Maybe I lost that half a second and just half a second and it’s a red.”
Kyle Walker revealed he used to take being picked for England for grantedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Walker says Southgate’s words after his emotional interview reassured himCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
Walker continued by saying he really beat himself up after his red card – but revealed Southgate’s reassuring words calmed him down.
The City ace said: “I did an interview and I was running on emotions. At that moment, I felt it might be the end of my England career.
“I thought, ‘Someone, somewhere upstairs doesn’t want me in that England team’. That’s what I was thinking.
“When I got back to the hotel, I went to see the manager privately and apologised.
“He said: ‘It’s not over. You’ve made a mistake and people make mistakes but if you continue to perform at the level you’re performing at, you will be in my squads’.
“That made me take a big breath of relief.”
Kyle Walker ignored coronavirus lockdown by hosting sex party with a pal and two call girls at his flat
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
