Keane Questions Alexander-Arnold’s England Snub, Hints at Off-Field Issues
The perennial debate surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s place in the England national team has been reignited, with former Manchester United captain Roy Keane offering a stark perspective. Keane, speaking on The Overlap’s Stick To Football podcast, suggested that the Liverpool star’s exclusion from a provisional 35-man squad might extend beyond mere on-field form, pointing to potential underlying issues that Thomas Tuchel, the England manager, may be factoring into his decisions.
Alexander-Arnold, a high-profile omission, found himself overlooked in favour of a number of other right-backs, including Reece James, Tino Livramento, Jarrell Quansah, and Djed Spence. His hopes of a potential call-up were further dashed when he missed a second opportunity due to a series of injuries, with Ben White being recalled to the England setup for the first time in almost four years.
While Tuchel has been vocal about his reservations regarding Alexander-Arnold’s defensive capabilities, Keane posited that the situation could be more complex. “The strange thing is when people say about Trent and his defensive stuff, but he must look at the other defenders ahead of him and go: ‘Well they’re not great defensively either!'” Keane questioned. He elaborated, suggesting that the manager’s selections imply a defensive solidity that isn’t necessarily borne out by the performances of other players in contention. “It’s not as if Tuchel is going, that’s going to be rock solid at the back, some of the lads ahead of him, they’re not even good defenders. There’s something going on.”
Keane also critiqued the squad’s versatility, arguing for specialists over “jack of all trades” players. He specifically highlighted the inclusion of Ben White, who has featured in only seven league games for Arsenal this season. “You look at that squad and analyse it, defensively that England squad is not good, defensively,” Keane asserted, implying that Alexander-Arnold’s offensive prowess might be undervalued in favour of a defence that isn’t demonstrably superior.
Tuchel’s concerns about Alexander-Arnold’s defensive discipline were articulated almost a year ago, prior to the player’s move to Real Madrid. At the time, the manager noted, “I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort.” Tuchel stressed the importance of defensive responsibility for international success, stating, “the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100 per cent awake, can be decisive, can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.”
Since his move to Madrid, Alexander-Arnold has battled persistent injuries. However, he has recently begun to establish a more consistent run of appearances for Los Blancos, raising questions about whether this resurgence should have warranted a place in the national squad.
Keane, however, believes that the onus remains on the player to convince the manager. “If you’re a player like Trent and you’re left out of a 35-man squad, I still think that’s on you, that’s on the player,” Keane stated. He questioned Alexander-Arnold’s mindset, suggesting that a player of his calibre should be asking themselves, “how have I not done enough to persuade a manager to get me in a squad?”
The former captain alluded to Tuchel’s emphasis on team cohesion and player personalities, recalling the manager’s early statements about needing “lads who are good travellers.” Keane inferred that there might be something in Alexander-Arnold’s demeanour or off-field presence that Tuchel finds disagreeable. “Tuchel said from day one, ‘I need lads who are good travellers’, all this type of thing and there’s something obviously about him he doesn’t like,” Keane observed. “It can’t be football. You don’t have to like everybody, but there’s something amiss, of course.”
In the aftermath of his omission, Alexander-Arnold appeared to offer a subtle response on social media. Following his assist for Vinicius Jnr in the Madrid derby, the player shared a picture with his teammate, accompanied by the caption, “Madrid. And nothing else.” This cryptic message, posted on Monday, could be interpreted as a statement of focus on his club commitments amidst the international disappointment.
