Durhamfootman wrote: at the same time, if I were a model professional playing CL football and competing for titles in the best league in the world, I think I'd be desperate to showcase my talent internationally, regardless of whether or not I thought the manager was a jerk. Maybe White plans to make himself available again once Sir G has been shown the door?
Imagine sacrificing your 5 week holiday to go abroad on a business trip with a group of colleagues, and during that trip you work your socks of and produce loads of great results. On the 20th night of the trip you are sat having dinner with colleagues who are once again chatting about work, work, work, and you ask politely that you would like to change the topic because you were all a bit sick of constantly talking about work. Your manager then responds by questioning your professionalism and ability to do your job, because not wanting to talk about work in your free time is evidence that you do not care, and are therefore not capable of your job.
How would you react to that? Because I think I would punch my bosses teeth back into his throat.
Ben White is vocal about his upbringing form his parents being anti-football, and didn't grow up like other professionals being fanatical about it. To have someone question that upbringing as being problematic, and insulting him that he doesnt love the game enough.... listen to all the top elite players at Arsenal, they tell you he is the model professional. To have some jumped up nobody question his attitude is an insult, and I can understand why he reacted badly.
Imagine growing up in a family that don't let you watch football, dont come to your games, dont discuss your career achievements of celebrate them, and didn't help him in his career (he said on the Arsenal documentary it was his mums hairdresser who would stay after cutting hair to stand in goal and have him blast balls at her in the garden, was the only way he got to play as a kid)..... despite all that, he made it the top level.
Imagine being so stupid to hold that against him and use it as a mark of his lack of desire. Anyone with half a brain (which Holland and Southgate cant muster between them) would see it for the opposite.