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      Luke Shaw vows not to let England boss Southgate down again as Man Utd star admits ‘regrets’

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      LUKE SHAW knows he is drinking in the last chance saloon with England — but promises he will never betray Gareth Southgate’s trust again.The Manchester United left-back made his long-awaited return during Sunday’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win in Albania.
      Luke Shaw won his ninth England cap on SundayCredit: Rex
      The Manchester United star is putting hard work inCredit: Getty
      Yet that was only the ninth senior cap for a player who made his Three Lions debut more than seven years ago and played at the 2014 World Cup.
      And Shaw, 25, is the first to acknowledge that he only has himself to blame for that startling lack of game time.
      Because the one-time world’s most expensive teenager — at £33million when he joined Manchester United from Southampton in  June 2014 — had earned himself a reputation for crying off at the last minute.
      In fact he had performed so many late withdrawals over the years that he had reached the stage where his family feared he would never represent his country again.
      So it was hardly surprising that he felt such relief at completing the full 90 minutes on Sunday and delivering the cross for Harry Kane’s breakthrough goal in Tirana.
      Ahead of Wednesday’s crunch Wembley clash with Poland, he confessed:
      “I have some massive regrets about my England career and I couldn’t stop thinking about the mistakes I had made in the past. I have pulled out of a lot of squads and I was letting the boss down because maybe I wasn’t in the best condition around that time.
      “The last time I played before Sunday was against Spain in 2018 and I’ve given it so much thought over the past two years.
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      Shaw, 25, is working hard to grasp his opportunityCredit: Getty

      “I tried to keep in touch with the manager just to let him know that things have changed, but I had a few discussions with my family and they thought that maybe I wouldn’t get back into it.
      “But deep down I always believed that if I worked hard I could earn a recall and Gareth has given me another chance so now I need to prove to him that I want to be a part of this squad.
      “I remember watching the last World Cup and seeing how well the squad was doing and it really made me want to get involved.
      “Maybe at that time I wasn’t mentally right. I had injury problems but maybe they were ones that could have been dealt with.”
      Shaw knows that it was never his ability which was his in question as much as his fitness and commitment to playing for his country.
      He has withdrawn from six senior squads and fives times with the Under-21s due to a various series of minor niggles…  and often played for his club the very next week.
      Southgate was  squirming with embarrassment when he was prevented by Manchester United from explaining the reasons for Shaw’s absence from his squad to play at the Under-21 Championships in 2015 — thought at the time to be concussion suffered in a game against  Crystal Palace.
      And the situation hardly improved when Southgate took charge of the senior team the following year.
      The in-form left-back is grateful to boss Gareth SouthgateCredit: Getty
      Shaw’s last cap had come against Spain in 2018Credit: Getty
      The 2-1 Nations League defeat by Spain in September 2018 saw Shaw leave the pitch with concussion after 53 minutes and he had not featured again until Sunday.
      Former bosses Mauricio Pochettino, Louis van Gaal, Roy Hodgson and Jose Mourinho have all questioned Shaw’s fitness levels.
      And then United boss Mourinho completely threw him under the bus when he declared: “There is a difference between the brave player who wants to be there at any cost and the ones for who a little pain can make a difference.”
      He admits that those questions have hurt. But now he is ready to end all the doubts after a series of barnstorming performances for United since returning from a hamstring injury before Christmas. He said:
      “Gareth says he has picked me on merit and hopefully we’ve forgotten about the past and can just focus on the future from now on.
      “I am so happy to be back wearing the England shirt and to get a good win obviously helps.
      “I have always said it is a massive honour to play for your country and maybe I took advantage of that at times in the past.
      “So I feel really privileged that Gareth has given me another chance to impress and hopefully stay in the squad for more games.
      But I enjoy the competition and sometimes you need that to push you on more when you know everyone has to fight for that shirtLuke Shaw
      “Even if I am not playing, just being around the group again is brilliant because the competition for places is really high.
      “Ben Chilwell has been brilliant at left-back and was outstanding against San Marino last week.
      “But all the Premier League full-backs that are English are performing on a really high level.
      “For example, I know Matt Targett and he’s having a very good season for Aston Villa and Aaron Cresswell has also been doing well for West Ham and they’re not even involved in the squad at the moment.
      “Then there’s Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka who has been playing at wing-back and has shown he is a brilliant, versatile player.
      “But I enjoy the competition and sometimes you need that to push you on more when you know everyone has to fight for that shirt.”
      Now Shaw is hoping that he has done enough to retain his place in the starting line-up for Poland’s visit to Wembley.
      But even if he is back on the bench, there is no chance of him making an early exit this time.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Gareth Southgate says Luke Shaw’s passes are beautiful after England win More

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      Ex-Man Utd ace Luke Chadwick warns son Louis not to make same mistakes he did after 18-year-old’s Cambridge breakthrough

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      LUKE CHADWICK has a warning for son Louis and all budding professional footballers: Don’t let the game consume your life.Goalkeeper Louis, 18, Chadwick’s eldest son, is an emerging star at Cambridge United.
      Luke Chadwick has a warning for every young footballer: Don’t let the game consume your life
      The ex-Man Utd ace’s son Louis, 18, is a rising star in goal at Cambridge UnitedCredit: Getty
      But the former Manchester United winger wants Louis and others to learn the lesson that hit him hard after his playing days ended.
      Chadwick, 40, explained: “It was a real struggle, that loss of identity. I just defined myself as a football player and not as a person.
      “It was almost, ‘The best part of my life’s over now, what’s left of it?’ That feeling lasted longer than it should have, three-and-a-half years.
      “I never faced up to it. I never grieved for the end of my career. I was on a downward spiral. I wasn’t living my life right. I probably drank too much.
      “I was in a really bad place mentally — but I was  not able to face up to it and admit it.”
      Chadwick finally sought help through the PFA. Now he can offer Louis and younger son Liam, 15, who is also on Cambridge’s books, a rounded perspective.
      Chadwick admitted: “Football can totally absorb your life.
      “It’s a dream come true becoming a professional footballer. But there’s only a short amount of time during your career when you’re satisfied, because you can never really be satisfied.
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      “If you’re in the team, you’ve got to stay in the team. If you’re out of the team, you’ve got to get back in the team.
      “If you’re injured, you’ve got to get fit.  It encumbers your  life, your thought process, if you can’t get that balance right.”  And for goalkeepers, it is a particularly tough thing to do.
      Chadwick said: “I had a conversation with Louis the other week when he had made a mistake. You could see it was affecting his life.
      “It was an honest conversation, ‘That is how you are going to feel for 50 per cent of your football career — if you are lucky enough to have a career’.
      “You’ve got to learn to deal with it and use whatever happens as a learning tool, not let it take away from what happens in your life away from football.
      “I’d love him to play for Cambridge because we both support Cambridge — but it’s not the be-all and end-all. 
      “We’re extremely proud of both kids and what they have achieved as young footballers — but even more so of how they are as young people. All I’m interested in is that they live a happy, balanced life.”
      Chadwick has found real happiness by leaving professional football altogether.
      During his struggles after retiring as a player, he did not find much comfort in coaching at Cambridge’s academy.

      Chadwick said: “I never loved doing it. And I didn’t think the kids really enjoyed it enough.
      “By then, it was all about becoming a professional footballer — and the majority don’t get to do that.  The releasing part, shattering the kids’ dreams, I really struggled with.
      “There’s some brilliant work that goes on in the academies, don’t get me wrong, both my children are there. But for me as an individual, it wasn’t the right pathway.”
      So at the back end of 2019, Chadwick joined fellow former Cambridge coaches James Cutting and Jonny Martin in their Football Fun Factory business.
      They provide football experiences and coaching for boys and girls of all abilities and ages, using inflatable pitches and other innovative equipment to create an inclusive, fun environment.
      From today, with Covid-19 restrictions relaxed, Chadwick and FFF’s coaches will be delivering Easter holiday sessions.
      He said: “The demand is greater than ever from parents for their kids to be out and doing a healthy, social activity. 
      “All our coaches can’t wait to get out there. I think back to when I was seven, eight, I didn’t have a care in the world.
      “I think this is the happiest I’ve been in my adult life. Being able to  step away from professional football, although full of gratitude for the life it’s given me, I feel so much freedom in embracing other challenges.”
      For further information go to www.thefootballfunfactory.co.uk

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      Footie ace Paul Pogba finally gets his £300,000 Rolls-Royce back — after leaving it in a police car pound for months

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      FOOTIE ace Paul Pogba has finally got his £300,000 Rolls-Royce back — after leaving it in a police car pound for months.The Manchester United star ran up storage charges estimated at £5,500 as he left the car unclaimed for 270 days. 
      Paul Pogba has got his Rolls-Royce back after leaving it in a car pound for monthsCredit: Getty
      Pogba, 28, was stopped in his Wraith Black Badge near Manchester Airport in June because it had Monaco-registered plates.
      The World Cup-winner‘s car was put on a low loader and taken away, leaving him with a £150 towing bill.
      He was given three points along with a £220 fine and ordered to pay £85 costs at Tameside magistrates’ court in December.
      But the France star let the £200-a-day storage fees rack up and took back his luxury motor only earlier this month. 
      Pogba’s Rolls-Royce was seized by cops after he was pulled over for driving with a French number plateCredit: Collect
      It was spotted on the drive of his £3million home in Hale, Cheshire — still sporting Monaco plates.
      A source said: “It’s incredible to think Paul took so long to sort out getting his car back.
      “It’s not a little runaround — it’s a stunning limited edition £300,000 Rolls-Royce which anybody would love to sit in, let alone own.
      “Instead, it gathered dust because Paul took absolutely ages to sort the necessary paperwork.”
      Cars brought into the country by non-citizens must be registered with the DVLA and fitted with UK plates within six months or they are seized.

      But Pogba, who moved back to United in 2016 in a £90million transfer from Juventus and earns £260,000 a week, was never going to be forced to use public transport.
      Following the seizure of the Rolls, he was seen driving a £260,000 Ferrari 812 Superfast, a £270,000 Lamborghini Aventador and a £132,000 Bentley Flying Spur. 
      He was also spotted behind the wheel of a £115,000 Maserati Quattroporte, a £100,000 Audi RS6 Power R and a £40,000 Chevrolet Camaro.
      Man Utd’s Paul Pogba leaves the club’s Carrington Training complex in a Rolls RoyceCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Paul Pogba’s return is a huge boost to the team after AC Milan victory
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      in Motorsport

      F1 legend Sir Stirling Moss left £20million in his will and told pals ‘enjoy a few nights out’ after he died

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      FUN-LOVING motor racing icon Sir Stirling Moss left £20million in his will and told pals: “Enjoy a few nights out.”The Formula One legend, who died last year aged 90, gave the order among a string of big-hearted legacies to 18 of his nearest and dearest.
      Sir Stirling Moss left £20million in his willCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
      The gifts included £1,000 handed to a couple to spend on dinner at Miami, Florida, restaurant Joe’s Stone Crab.
      And he dished out his favourite paintings, model cars and even a lucky silver rabbit’s foot to others.
      He left the bulk of his fortune to his wife since 1980 Lady Susie, plus daughter Allison and son Elliot.
      Probate office figures showed the star, who lived in Mayfair, central London, left £22.08million in his will but this did not include US assets.
      The daring racing style of Sir Stirling, who won 16 of 66 F1 races from 1951 to 1961, led speeding motorists when stopped by police to be asked: “Who do you think you are, Stirling Moss?”
      Sir Stirling died after a long illness last yearCredit: AFP or licensors

      Sir Stirling died after a long illness last year with Lady Susie at his bedside.She paid tribute, saying: “It was one lap too many.
      “He died as he lived, looking wonderful.
      “He simply tired in the end and closed his beautiful eyes and that was that.”
      Sterling has been married to Lady Susie since 1980Credit: News Group Newspapers LtdList of Sir Sterling’s legacies

      £1,000 to a pal (now dead) for him and his wife “to enjoy a few of our usual nights out” and two trophies
      £10,000 and a Marcel Lebrun painting to his former secretary
      A hand-carved Birdcage Maserati sculpture by artist Dennis Hoyt to a male pal
      A John Brierley model train to another male friend
      £2,000 and his Mercedes Benz boxed edition Silver Arrows, given to him by Mercedes Benz in 1998, to a male pal
      A Talbot model to a male friend
      £1,000 to a married London couple to “enjoy at Joe’s Stone Crab” restaurant in Miami, US
      £1,000 to a female friend
      A Cooper model to a male pal
      £5,000 to a married couple
      Another £5,000 to a US friend
      His silver rabbit’s foot – given to Sir Stirling in 1954 by friends – to his ex-psychotherapist for “giving me more than luck”
      £1,000 to a female friend “to help towards her telephone bills”
      £1,000 to another female friend
      £10,000 to his niece to “put towards buying another horse”
      £5,000 to a married couple as “my thanks for their loyalty”
      A painting of Hyde Park by artist Dexter Brown to “remind her of her many numbered bottles enjoyed after walks through that park”.
      £10,000 to his rally driver sister, Pat, who sadly died in 2008
      £20,000 to his god-daughter

      Stirling Moss wins Grand Prix d’Europe in 1957
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      Kevin Keegan saved me by giving me my England debut against Poland after my big error four years earlier

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      I MADE the worst decision of my career shortly after one of the best moments — lifting the league title  as captain of Blackburn.I was included in boss Terry Venables’ England squad for an Umbro tournament in this country against Japan, Sweden and Brazil in June 1995.
      Tim Sherwood was 30 when he finally made his England debut, thanks to Kevin Keegan in March 1999Credit: Getty
      Kevin Keegan rewarded Tim Sherwood’s Prem consistency with his Three Lions debut, a month after he joined Spurs from BlackburnCredit: Getty
      It had been a tough and tricky campaign in getting Rovers over the line to win the top-flight crown.
      But I have no doubt I would have played a part in that tournament.
      However, in hindsight, I then did the worst-possible thing.
      I got Blackburn No 2 Ray Harford to contact Terry  to say I was mentally drained and could do with the rest.
      Bear in mind that I was also due to get my first England cap in the infamous friendly against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in February 1995.
      Terry said he would play Paul Ince in the first half and I would play the second 45.
      I couldn’t believe it when the game was abandoned due to crowd trouble and I thought my chance had gone for England —  mostly through my own stupidity.
      My advice to any player, no matter what age, is take the opportunity of playing for your country whenever you can — because it may never come around again.
      Tim Sherwood would forever have regretted ducking out of England but fortunately got another chance after Kevin Keegan became bossCredit: Getty
      Blackburn boss Kenny Dalglish and skipper Tim Sherwood experienced title glory in 1999Credit: Reuters
      Luckily when Kevin Keegan took over in 1999, I was called up in his first squad.
      I’ll never forget the day before, we were staying at Burnham Beeches Hotel when he told me I would be playing against Poland.
      I may have been 30 but I felt like a teenager telling my  family that this moment had finally come true and I was going to play for my country.
      My only concern was whether I had some sort of curse and that I may get knocked down by a bus on the way to Wembley!
      It might be 22 years ago but I can still feel the goosebumps thinking back to walking out at the old Wembley.
      I think the fact it was Kevin’s first game as manager helped the atmosphere.
      He was the fans’ choice to be the new Three Lions boss after turning Newcastle into one of the most exciting teams in the world. 
      I was so proud to be part of Blackburn’s Premier League title success — and it was a great honour to be selected for PFA teams of the year.
      But from an individual point of view, nothing compares to pulling on that England shirt.
      We dominated the game and it sounds crazy but I kept thinking to myself, ‘Is it always going to be this easy?’.
      Walking from the far end to that crescendo of noise, then lining up for the anthems.
      It was  an incredible feeling knowing my family were there to witness a day  I thought I would never see.
      We dominated the game and it sounds crazy but I kept thinking to myself, ‘Is it always going to be this easy?’.
      The game seemed very slow and I felt in total control.
      I could have scored and I felt humbled that the commentators and media pundits said I gave an outstanding performance. 
      Paul Scholes rightly walked off with the match ball plus all the headlines and plaudits after his stunning hat-trick.
      He scored some great goals — a sublime cross from David Beckham for his second.
      I won two more caps but unfortunately both were out of position from the central-midfield role I played against the Poles.
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      I was asked to play right- back against Sweden — I would have happily played in goal if I was told to — I just wanted to keep playing.
      Then in my third and final cap against Hungary, I had a terrible problem with my back and was having massages and all sorts in the build-up to the game.
      But I was still determined I was going to play!
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      Chris Gunter wins Wales 100th cap but gutted pal Aaron Ramsey can’t play – and says Cristiano Ronaldo is best opponent

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      CHRIS GUNTER becomes the first Welshman to win 100 caps on Saturday afternoon ­­— but he is ‘gutted’ best mate Aaron Ramsey will not be there to celebrate with him.The Wales captain is set to make history against Mexico in a friendly at an empty Cardiff City Stadium.
      Chris Gunter, left, will have to do without one of his best friends, Aaron Ramsey, when he reaches his century of caps for Wales against MexicoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Chris Gunter predictably rates Cristiano Ronaldo as his toughest opponentCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Cult hero Gunter — who made his debut in a draw with New Zealand in 2007 — feels ‘sad’  his   fans, friends and family cannot be in the stands.
      And that includes injured Juventus star Ramsey, who will watch his landmark moment from Italy.
      The pair are room-mates and inseparable on Wales duty while Charlton defender Gunter was even best man at Rambo’s wedding.
      Gunter, 31, said: “I’m very proud. It means the world to me to represent the country. The empty  stadium will be easier for myself because it’s the norm.
      “I’m OK with that but I feel sorry for my family, friends and fans who would give  anything to be there and celebrate it.
      “I’ll be sad for them but  get a couple of beers in and enjoy it.
      “Whenever football returns to normal I’ll say thank you to them for the support they have given me.
      Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey misses the friendly with Mexico through injuryCredit: Getty
      “And I know Aaron will be one of the most proud people.
      “When I came on in November to get to 99 he was pleased and said he’d be there when I get to 100 — but then got injured.
      “He’s disappointed, and I am, because Aaron has been one of my best mates since we were 12.
      “I’ve been through a lot with him. I’m gutted in a way that he’s not going to be there.
      “He hasn’t been around for a while with Wales —  we miss him on the pitch.
      “It’s people like him and a lot of others in the squad I owe thanks to because their support has been incredible.
      “As long as Wales needs me then I’ll be there, ready and waiting. Hopefully, there are more caps and good times to come.Chris Gunter
      “I’m sure we will speak tomorrow and he’ll certainly be watching.”
       Gunter will become the 20th British and Irish player to achieve a century of international appearances.
      He is a fans’ favourite, the embodiment of the Wales support on the pitch.
      In his own words, he is: “Just a normal guy who turned up after being selected quite a lot of times. Someone who gave his absolute best.”
      Unsurprisingly, Gunter picks Wales’ run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 as his favourite time in international football.
      The Dragons got over a last-gasp defeat by England – after which Gunter gave a ‘chin up’ signal to the ‘Red Wall’ – to reach the last four before defeat by football.
      And it was in that match against Portugal that Gunter faced the best player he has ever shared a pitch with in international football.
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      When asked who that was, he replied:  “Cristiano Ronaldo for that goal in the semi-final. He did something that not many players can do.”
      Five years on, Gunter has no plans to retire from the Dragons just yet and added: “I’m 31, which I still consider is quite young.
      “As long as Wales needs me then I’ll be there, ready and waiting. Hopefully, there are more caps and good times to come.”
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      WSL TV deal is a massive coup but now the women’s game should be run by Prem to realise potential

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      IT IS possible the butchery in the First World War trenches made gentlemen in authority squeamish about their womenfolk hurting themselves.But that can’t be the only reason for the ban on women’s football in 1921, even though the FA did claim: “The game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.”
      Karren Brady writes exclusively for SunSportCredit: The Sun
      The WSL TV deal is a massive coup for the women’s game but the Premier League should be helping them maximise itCredit: Getty
      There were suggestions that the women’s semi-professional game was becoming too popular.
      Why, one match actually totted up an attendance of 53,000. Few First Division fixtures drew that many spectators back then.
      Yet, I’d allow the reason they gave.
      Among the middle classes the idea of an active woman was all very well as long as it amounted to healthy walks in the countryside.
      Getting bruised, muddied and tackled, well that just wasn’t deemed civilised.
      Among the lower orders though, women’s football was quite popular on the understanding that she did the washing, cleaned the house, looked after the children, cooked and didn’t mind her chap having quite a few pints before she went off to play a match!
      What that generation, men or women, rich or poor, would make of this week’s announcement of a £7.3million-a-year payment to showcase women’s football on the BBC and Sky, I can only guess.
      Something along the lines of “BBC, Sky, television? What are they?”
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      And the old buffers who thought we had chicken-strong bones, no co-ordination and couldn’t kick the skin off a rice pudding, might guess it was a follow-up to HG Wells’ War of the Worlds.
      In some ways it is, and we girls are winning it. The WSL has a financial deal that is a high line across the world.
      The Women’s Super League is not yet the biggest women’s club domestic competition in the world — but it will be. Soon.
      The Premier League enjoyed meteoric growth soon after it was founded in 1992.
      It did so by going it alone, to begin with you might say selfishly, but it worked because the clubs acted with one voice as they liked the motive of driving the Premier League to be the most successful football league in the world.
      An ambition which has been achieved.
      Seventy per cent more people watch the PL than the Champions League, and the PL global audience is more than that of LaLiga, Serie A and Bundesliga combined!
      It saddens me that a few PL clubs are rebelling in the interest of what they believe will be greater returns for them personally, ignoring the fact that there is strength in unity and, that regardless of personal wealth, it is not they but everyday fans who pay for the League’s success.
      So, if the WSL wants to be a global brand it must be single-minded.
      The Women’s Super League has landed a landmark broadcasting deal with Sky Sports and the BBCCredit: Getty
      The FA have been a great help in netting a contract which guarantees televised women’s football on a Friday-Saturday-Sunday basis. The coup was to get 18 matches on BBC1 and BBC2 and 44 games on Sky.
      Much less helpful is the fact that the WSL will only get 37.5 per cent of the money raised from the sale of their own TV rights, because the FA have decided to keep the rest.
      To do God knows what with!
      What a shame the FA don’t have the vision to keep all the money in the WSL and use it to drive the League into being a massive global brand.
      In the three years of its existence, its growth has been a phenomenon.
      Fine players are already here.
      One of the very best, Pernille Harder, has just joined Chelsea, and more will be attracted by the highest wages in the world along with the quality of play.
      Every WSL club loses money and is subsidised by the men’s game but you don’t have to be Bill Gates to see a great future in this League.
      A future that will only be realised if the running of it is handed over to the Premier League.
      So, in the centenary of the FA ban on women’s football, it’s good to see that the WSL revolution has legs.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
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      Phil Foden feels sorry for Gareth Southgate with ‘so many great talents’ giving England boss a selection headache

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      PHIL FODEN is adamant he can handle the mental and physical demands of chasing SIX major trophies at once.But the Manchester City playmaker admits that competition for England places is now so great that he ‘feels sorry’ for national boss Gareth Southgate.
      Playmaker Phil Foden sympathises with England manager Gareth Southgate for having so many exciting options ahead of the EurosCredit: Getty
      Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are battling for places in Gareth Southgate’s England side amid huge competition from other atacking midfieldersCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Mason Mount, Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish are also contendersCredit: EPA
      Foden, 20, is chasing an unprecedented Quadruple with City — and preparing for this summer’s Euros by beginning qualification for next year’s World Cup.
      The little Mancunian maestro is firmly back in the England fold after being sent home in disgrace from Iceland, along with Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood, after smuggling girls into a hotel room last September.
      Foden, who starred when England won the Under-17s World Cup in 2017, has enjoyed a breakthrough season for City — scoring 11 goals and becoming a more regular starter for boss Pep Guardiola.
      Yet he still cannot be certain of a starting place for England when Southgate must choose just two of Foden, Jack Grealish, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, James Maddison and a resurgent Jesse Lingard.
      But Foden is expected to start in Albania tomorrow, after playing the second half of England’s 5-0 victory over San Marino on Thursday.
      He said: “There are so many great talents in the attacking third.
      “I feel sorry for Southgate having to pick only 11. All I can do is keep fighting for my place.
      “There are places up for grabs. I am still only 20 and have got a lot to improve on — but I continue to work hard and I’m hopeful to go to a big tournament and do well.
      Jesse Lingard’s loan form for West Ham and his energetic display against San Marino have thrust him back into serious contentionCredit: Getty
      Leicester’s James Maddison also hopes to become an England regularCredit: Getty
      Marcus Rashford is more of a typical frontline option for England than players like Foden, Grealish and MountCredit: PA
      “That’s my aim. I have  experience of playing in a final in the Under-17 World Cup and in big games, so I feel like I am ready to play in big tournaments and handle  pressure.
      “It is a challenge at City to play every couple of days — because we are in every competition and the manager has been rotating the squad a lot. But I’m always ready and I’ve got loads of energy.
      “I think it comes naturally that as you get older, you get stronger. I do a little bit of gym but not too much.”
      Foden says the fact that the Euros have been delayed by a year has boosted the hopes of himself, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Reece James — none of whom would have made Southgate’s squad last summer.
      He added: “It has given us  extra time to play at our clubs because we are all very young. So maybe it has helped us get the opportunity now. That appears to be the case.
      “Hopefully we will win the league and maybe a couple more trophies.
      “That would give me  confidence to push on and be in the England team, for sure.
      “You have to play games to get the experience. I try to keep playing in the biggest games and just become more developed in handling the ball.
      Phil Foden says Man City boss Pep Guardiola is excellent at ensuring players don’t think too far ahead, even when they are chasing the QuadrupleCredit: Reuters
      “It’s  important to be consistent with your club — and I want to take that form  into England.
      “Some players in the past have struggled with performing for their clubs and England.”
      Foden is happy to play out wide, as a No 10 or in a deeper midfield role for England, with Southgate refusing to tie him down to  one position.
      And asked whether he is playing with more confidence than at any time in his career, he answered: “Probably, yes.”
      Foden admits City are thinking about sweeping the board.
      They top the table by 14 points, face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup final, Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last eight.
      Foden said: “Pep is really good with trying to not think too far ahead.“He is always saying, ‘Just focus on the next game’.
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      “But, for sure, the lads are going to think about it. It could be one of the best seasons in City’s history if we pull it off.
      “Hopefully we win as many  as possible — and then playing in the England team is the aim — so it would be great times for me.
      “It’s been a big year. I’m playing more   and improving my goal ratio, it’s something I can kick on from.”
      Martin Keown says that Phil Foden should be ahead of Jesse Lingard for England More