During his recent spell with the England national team, Ben White, the Arsenal defender, became entangled in a heated confrontation with England’s assistant manager, Steve Holland. This incident occurred amidst White’s decision to step back from national team duties, catching both England manager Gareth Southgate and the team’s technical staff off guard. Despite White communicating his unavailability for selection directly to Southgate, and Arsenal’s sporting director conveying the decision to England’s technical director, the reasons behind White’s withdrawal remained unclear.
Insights provided by The Athletic revealed a tense exchange between White and Holland during England’s World Cup campaign in Qatar. Allegedly, Holland felt frustrated by White’s perceived disregard for tactical instructions and training data. Additionally, White’s candid admission about his waning enthusiasm for football further fueled tensions, as he expressed a preference to unwind away from the game following exhaustive training sessions and meetings.
However, White’s disengagement from the England camp cannot be solely attributed to his altercation with Holland. Southgate was quick to dispel any notions of animosity between White and Holland, affirming his admiration for White’s on-field prowess and professionalism. He emphasized the common occurrence of players opting out of national team selection and stressed his commitment to maintaining open dialogue with players.
Southgate’s remarks aimed to refute any suggestions of discord within the coaching staff, particularly regarding Holland’s rapport with White. He firmly rejected the notion that Holland’s friction with White played a role in the defender’s absence from the squad, asserting his unwillingness to allow unsubstantiated rumors to tarnish the reputation of a valued member of his coaching team.
