White 'made himself unavailable' - Southgate

According to Southgate, White refused to be considered for the England team. (Note: This is a simplified version of the original text. The focus is on rephrasing the sentence using different vocabulary.)

Gareth Southgate, the manager of the English football team, has stated that he doesn't have any problem with Ben White, who is a player for Arsenal. White has decided not to make himself available for the upcoming friendly matches that are scheduled for this month.

According to Southgate, Edu, the sporting director of Arsenal, informed him that White was not interested in being considered.

The individual who is 26 years old hasn't been chosen to represent England since the World Cup in 2022.

After the Qatar event, I had a conversation with him and he seemed hesitant to speak. I'm not sure what caused his lack of communication," stated Southgate.

White departed from England's team for the World Cup in Qatar due to personal circumstances. It has been claimed that he was dissatisfied and had a disagreement with Steve Holland, the assistant coach.

"We don't have any problems with each other, and there's no problem with Steve either. Some articles have mentioned it, but I don't approve of that," stated Southgate.

I must acknowledge that some things are untrue about myself, yet I am unwilling to let that be the case for my coaching staff. This is not the motive behind Ben's absence from our team.

White has been performing remarkably for Arsenal during this season, turning up in 39 matches over all competitions. Recently, he sealed the deal with the Gunners by signing a fresh four-year agreement on Thursday.

Last season, the ex-Brighton player played in all of the Premier League matches. However, Arsenal lost the title to Manchester City, who won the treble. Despite this, he has continued to perform exceptionally well this season in his position as a right-back.

Even though he won't be part of the Euro 2024 warm-up friendly games against Brazil and Belgium next March, Southgate claimed that there is a good opportunity for him to come back.

He stated that White would have been part of the team, but unfortunately he is not accessible at the moment. As a result, he needs to concentrate on finding individuals who can support the team.

It's evident that he's in good shape. I cannot deny that he has earned his spot.

It is truly regrettable. He was a member of our team during the Euros and the World Cup, and I personally reached out to him after Qatar because I wanted to include him in our roster.

I've received a lot of criticism for not selecting players in the past who were not willing to participate. However, I have always been able to avoid involving them in the media narrative.

This time, due to the situation with the quantity of injuries and his choice to remove himself from the extended roster, I need to be more open and honest.

When asked if White is implying that he won't participate in the England team under Southgate's management, the head coach of the Three Lions responded, "I'm uncertain about that. I am hopeful that this isn't the motive."

'The Most Caring Guy Around'

There was a suggestion before that White doesn't like football. However, he clarifies that this is a misconception and that he can just easily tune it out when he's at home.

Earlier this month, White had a conversation with The Telegraph and mentioned that people claim that he doesn't enjoy football. Nevertheless, football is not constantly on his thoughts when he finishes his work. He would prefer to unwind and be just like everyone else. However, when he is immersed in his job, he gives all of his effort.

The captain of the club, Martin Odegaard, stated about White: "If you observe him from a distance, you may believe he isn't interested in anything. Nevertheless, in reality, he is one of the most concerned individuals about his squad and his fellow players. He is a fighter, a genuine team collaborator, and comical."

Alex Howell, reporter for BBC Sport's football news section.

There has been a lot of discussion about whether White should be included in the England team since he departed from the training camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

In November of last year, Southgate was questioned regarding White's absence from the squad. He mentioned that he believed White was eligible for selection but was lagging behind a few other players.

Yet, after the team announcement three months ago, the statements about White coming from the England coach have been altered.

His capability to perform in both the positions of right-back and centre-back is of utmost importance now as Southgate has the liberty to select only 23 players in his ultimate squad for the summer Euro tournament held in Germany.

The scenario is quite complex as the athlete might be upset about not getting enough playtime with the English team. Even though he played for England in four friendly matches, he didn't get a chance to play during the first three matches in Qatar before leaving.

White is a determined contender, but it's inaccurate to think that they don't care about football or enjoy the sport, as some might assume.

It is a fact that his identity is not solely defined by being a football player, and during his off hours from practice, he enjoys engaging in activities unrelated to football.

It's evident that White is currently performing his best in football. However, due to Reece James being injured, as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kieran Trippier, the options for full-backs on Southgate's team isn't as strong as it used to be.