Gareth Southgate has been urged to take Wolves captain Max Kilman to the Euros this summer, because he is a ‘better’ player than one established Three Lions star.
Kilman has long been on the periphery when it comes to England.
He came close to a first call-up a couple of seasons ago after a great run of form, but he just dipped at the wrong time, and put in a really poor performance when Southgate went to watch him in a game against Crystal Palace.
Southgate has said previously that Kilman has been on his radar. But the 26-year-old just hasn’t quite been able to force the manager to call him up.
Kilman, who assumed the captaincy at Wolves ahead of this season, has had a decent campaign for Wolves. But him getting a seat on the plane this summer is extremely unlikely at this point.
Despite that, former Wolves midfielder Simon Osborn believes he should be in the squad, believing him to be better than a player Southgate has long shown unwavering faith in…
Simon Osborn says Wolves captain Max Kilman should be in the England squad and is better than Harry Maguire
England recently played two friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, but there was again no call up for Kilman.
Southgate called up Jarrad Branthwaite for the first time, with the other options being John Stones, Harry Maguire, Ezri Konsa and Joe Gomez.
Really, Kilman needed to be called up to that squad to stand any chance of making the Euros squad this summer.
He is highly likely to miss out this summer, but for Osborn, who spent six seasons at Molineux from 1995 to 2001, he should definitely be in.
In his eyes, the former Maidenhead United man is better than Manchester United’s £80 million defender Harry Maguire. He said on Wolves Weekly: “Max has been amazing. Would I take him to the Euros? 100% I would take him to the Euros. Is he better than Harry Maguire? Yes! He’s a left-footed centre-half, that absolutely gives you more than Harry Maguire right now.”
Kilman’s chance should have already come
Kilman should definitely have been called up to the England squad in the last couple of years.
He came so close a couple of seasons ago but just hit poor form at the wrong time in the end. But he still deserved a chance back then.
This season, he probably hasn’t quite done enough to warrant a call-up from Southgate. But the star would surely have been a little disappointed seeing Branthwaite called up to the latest squad before him.
But Osborn is surely right to suggest Kilman is a better player than Maguire, whose form for Manchester United has been poor for a long time now.
But Southgate is an extremely loyal manager and sticks by players who have served him well. Maguire arguably isn’t deserving of his England place anymore, but the manager has a deep admiration for him which has a negative effect on Kilman’s prospects.