Arsenal star Ben White has been consistently excellent under Mikel Arteta, but it was a different story under Gareth Southgate with the England National Team.
White was part of the squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but he departed midway through the tournament in surprising circumstances.
It later emerged that he had a fallout with England coach Steve Holland, and White has turned down subsequent call-ups from Southgate, who then revealed that the defender did not want to be considered for selection.
However, with both Southgate and Holland no longer part of the National Team setup, the question over a potential recall has now been raised.
England have now hired former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel, and the German could be interested in recalling the Arsenal star to his squad, given his versatility and consistently excellent performances.
However, it is unclear whether White is interested in a return to the team, but even if he is, one hilarious moment before he joined Arsenal may not have put the Englishman in Tuchel’s good books.
When Arsenal star Ben White tackled new England manager Thomas Tuchel
In April 2021, White’s Brighton team faced Chelsea, who were pushing for a top-four spot under Tuchel, who took charge midway through the season.
The sides played out a fairly drab 0-0 draw, and White put in a superb performance at Stamford Bridge which may have actually caught Tuchel’s eye.
White was solid in defence on the right side of a back three, with Sky Sports even awarding him the player of the match award. However, just minutes later, White was sent off for a second yellow card offence, the first dismissal of his career.
This was not what would have annoyed Tuchel though. Early on in the game, White flew in for a tackle on the touchline, but instead, he collided with the Chelsea manager, and the German was visibly annoyed.
“One of his most telling contributions, however, came quite early on in the game as he accidentally took out Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel,” Brighton-based outlet Sussex Live stated of the incident during the game.
“White won the ball from a Chelsea player out on the touchline and then slid into the unsuspecting German, causing them both to take a little tumble.
“Tuchel was not best pleased with the incident and could be seen gesticulating towards Brighton’s defence soon after the incident. But he was up on the touchline shortly afterwards.”
Why Ben White could be useful for Thomas Tuchel in England squad
If White is open to an England return, then Tuchel could certainly make a lot of use out of him. Aside from the tackle, he saw first-hand what the 26-year-old could offer in a back three, a formation which he favoured at Chelsea.
Even in a back four, White could be a strong option at right-back, and he was one of Arsenal’s most impressive players against Tuchel’s Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season.
A new coach could provide a new start in the National Team for the Arsenal star, but it remains to be seen whether he is keen on returning to the England squad, or if he is content with focusing on his club duties.
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