Hugh Woozencroft HITS BACK at criticism of Jude Bellingham from England fans and the media

Hugh Woozencroft & Scott Minto analyse the media reaction around Jude Bellingham’s England career and question why so many are quick to criticise the Real Madrid star.

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This has been very concerning from the moment uh the England squad was announced. Thomas Tuker was very clear as to why he left out Jude Bellingham. He barely played. He only started one game, hadn’t played a full 90 minutes. The manager wanted to leave him out. He he felt he’s undercooked. And I never thought he was going to be in this England camp for that exact reason. But once that explanation was given, I have been surprised by the level of conversation around Jude Bellingham during this England camp, especially from the media. Obviously, I’m a part of that that media. So, I’m not pointing fingers at everyone in this industry. Maybe people know something I don’t. Maybe they want to create something. I’m not sure. Especially the back page after the first game that we won 3-0 saying who needs Jude which I thought was an absolutely ludicrous back page particularly given Harry Kane didn’t play in that game. So why was it all about Jude Bellingham? I’m not sure. But I do feel there is now a narrative being created that England don’t need Jude Bellingham. I think there is a narrative being created that he’s very very droppable. Much of a muchness between him and the other number 10s if if if not Jude’s actually behind them. And I don’t mind having the football conversation. I think it’s relevant to have the football conversation. But I do feel like there there seems to be elements that are desperate to paint him as some sort of negative influence in the changing room and actually make him out to be some sort of not necessarily a bad person, but certainly someone who when he walks into a room isn’t a positive effect. I I don’t know where that is coming from. I don’t know why that is happening. Enuman wouldn’t have got anywhere last summer if it wasn’t for for Jude Bellingham. He might not be on form. He’s obviously had surgery on his shoulder. He’s clearly not physically where he needs to be. But this notion, this idea that England will be all right next summer without him, I think is fancy. And again, before anyone says, well, he he’s droppable, I’d actually put him on the bench. Would you? I would play Cole Palmer as England’s number 10. This is not me saying he has to start. You can have two 10 in a 414. Okay. Again, we we we should be able to have the football conversation. That’s fine. But I’ve seen it before in previous years. we all have with elements of the media and England players and this idea that as time goes on, despite how certain people play in an England shirt, we’re still going to paint them as being a negative influence. I don’t want that to build up on Jude Bellingham’s back. And it seems to be like since Thomas Duke’s come through the door, there are elements of the media and maybe within the England change room as well that want to do so. Yeah. Well, he’s mentioned it as well, hasn’t he? With with using the words that his mom was repulsed by his behavior. So, he’s certainly not helped in that way. I mean, I I would take slight issue with you. He he was very clear that yes, he said that Jude wasn’t 100% fit, but actually he’s also extremely clear in saying, but that wasn’t the major reason why I didn’t pick him. The major reason why was continuity, which is why I’m talking again, I go back to that fork in the road. He seems to be going down the route where this sort of international break was even better than the last one. And okay, Jude isn’t 100% fit, but I go back to what I was saying a little bit earlier. If Harry Kane had played 100 minutes for Bayern Munich only, do you think he wouldn’t have been picked in the squad? So, I think there’s a little message going out from Thomas Tool. Why? I don’t know. From a media point of view, I mean, that headline was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Who needs Jude? Well, of course, we need Jude, but to do it in a game where Harry Kane didn’t play was even more ridiculous. So, I wonder where there’s a little bit of mischievousness going on. I know that obviously in the in the summer he was only given interviews that he was fully obliged and contracted to do and he said no to other ones but I think he felt there was a little bit of criticism you know going his way I think. So is this the media now trying to get their own back? Oh are you going to turn down interviews with us so we’re going to paint you as being a a negative influence in the England changing room if that’s I mean you know what the world is about now for for a lot of it’s a power play. I better be careful, you know. I’ got to be careful sort of choosing my words, but for for for certain um uh parts of the media, they want clickbait, you know, they want try just trying to get as many listeners, viewers, uh readers or whatever they want. I’ll just hide my face. I know. No, I know. I know you’re not like that. But I I think absolutely let’s have a proper football chat about it. Let’s not get ridiculous about who needs Jude because we do need Jude. We We need Jude Bellingham. I actually would have him in my first 11, but the longer we don’t have him in the first 11, and that’s the point, he wanted to be in this squad. And yes, he wasn’t 100% fit, but he could have played 45 minutes in each game. And what I don’t get is you’ve only got three camps before you choose, including this one, before you choose the World Cup squad. Even if he couldn’t play in any of them, and he could, why would you not have one of your leaders around to create that culture? So for me, for whatever reason, I’m not quite sure. Thomas Duke said what he said and he’s taken that word back. But for me, he’s sending a little message to Jude Bellingham. You say, “You do it my way. If he’s not doing it his way, I don’t know what what he’s been doing.” But it just seems really strange to me from a football point of view why you don’t want your leader there when you’ve only got a few camps left. I’m okay if people say that it’s all in my head and I’m dreaming. But just do let me know. Am I am I inventing this or are those that are are trying to paint a target on the back of Jude Bellingham for an unknown reason? If a player is absent from a squad, there’s so many more things for us to be talking about. No, no, but Hugh, I do get the conversation because he’s our best player. Cool. And I and he’s bossed it going to Dortmund, then Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world, and he’s been absolutely superb. He he’s saved us at times both in in in in uh internationals qualifiers but also in the actual Euro itself in tournaments. So the fact he’s he is fit which is not 100% fit and yet he’s not picked off the back of what Thomas Duke said about him in the interview with Adrian and Piery I think there is a conversation to be had as to why and that November selection and team selection not just squad selection is going to be fascinating. So is it the fact that the media are going after Jude Bellingham or has Thomas Tukul created a void which the media are filled with stories about him? You can have your say on talkport 03717234. Let’s go to a call. Sam is a Manchester City fan. Good evening. Good evening. How are you? Very well indeed. Am I Am I crazy or are people trying to paint a target on Jude’s back? I don’t think it’s a target at all in my opinion. I think that he is the most overhyped player in world football to date. Scott, what makes you say that then, Sam, considering what he’s done for both club and country? Club. Why we saying that? Because he because he plays for Real Madrid or Yeah. And he’s won trophies and he’s been one of the main men at the biggest club in the world. But let’s let’s focus on an England perspective then. You said he was one of the most No, no. To be fair, I can’t just let that slide. You said he was one of the most overrated players in world football and then went, “Let’s just concentrate on England.” I mean, I’ll let you, but you’re already losing the argument. Mean I I more mean in the position he plays for England, but uh about about sort of quart 7, we were saying you you guys were saying that he’s the second or first most important player in that England squad. And I have to disagree completely. Yes, he’s created some great moments for England fans. I will back that 100%. However, 90 minutes or let’s say 80 minutes, I am putting Palmer or Foden in that 10 over him every single day. He does. The way Kane plays does not work with Jude Bellingham at all. Why? The way Kane drops in and receives the ball. You’re saying about everybody seems to play that little bit deeper with with Kane always because of how deep he drops in. Correct. You mean they push up more? No, no, no, no. The watching England over the time. What do we say about Sask? It’s always boring because we play so deep. We, you know, we don’t really attack that much. That’s due to Kane dropping back with with Bellingham. He likes to play pretty much alongside that striker. Um, we need something pulling the strings a little bit deeper where Foden and Palmer will play better than Bellingham. Okay. I’m not quite Okay. My argument to this would be I’m not quite sure the point you were making. Then who’s then going to be in the box to score the goals? Because Jude Bellingham is the one doing it and Foden and Cole Palmer don’t necessarily. They get in and around the box, but not in the box like Bellingham. which is why I prefer Bellingham from the 85th minute onwards. The 85th minute onwards, five minutes, those last minute goals. So, see the way I would look at it, Sam, is if you’ve got Harry Kane who’s able to drop in, then that leaves a a void to go in behind and someone to do that. I think Jude Bellingham is that one to do that. You can also get one or both of the two wide players to do that. And I also think in the in the formation that Thomas Tuku is playing in the 4-1 4-1 you can have Cole Palmer and Drew Bellingham as as the two 10s and they can play the 10s in in a very different way but if Harry Kane is going to drop in he needs someone to go in behind and Jude Bellingham is the best one out there in terms of a central midfielder. 03717234. Why so much talk about Jude Bellingham?