Craig Burley

Then there's the argument to say, your argument to say, let's try and look and get some continuity within our team selection to start building that 11 that...

that we have.

But I think what Jürgen's saying is probably correct, that he's maybe got, I don't know, somewhere between 16 to maybe 20 in his head that he thinks, barring a disaster, they're probably going to go.

And there's maybe somewhere between four and six spots that he thinks, right, some of these guys need to hold their hands up and show me they're going to go to North America.

So that's maybe the reason.

Because if you're looking for just a performance, you don't cobble this team together and expect to get a performance.

So, yeah, that can be the only reason, I think.

There is a backstory here and I don't have all the correct knowledge on it.

Reportedly, some sort of fallout with Steve Holland, who was Southgate's assistant at the time, and that sparked it.

But whatever it was, it was never patched up and he did refuse to come and take part for his country, which supporters never take kindly to.

Oh, no.

I mean, Duncan Ferguson didn't play for the Scottish national team for quite some time because he was annoyed with the SFA when it was around the time he got himself in some trouble and he didn't feel he was backed.

But the players, when he came back to play some games, would never have held that against him.

That was his choice.

So I don't think from a player's perspective the players will bother too much.

I always feel if you're a player...

You'll welcome pretty much anybody into the side if you think that player can help you, can help the team, can make the team better, can make the squad better.

The ones that never forget are the supporters.

And when the supporter thinks that you're not rolling your sleeves up and turning up for your country...

they're going to get on your back and you better damn well play well when you're on the field because you're going to be a target and you've made yourself a target.