Three Chelsea players were named in Gareth Southgate’s 26-men squad for the World Cup. Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount have been regular players for the three lions since 2020.
The surprise inclusion was Chelsea midfielder, Conor Gallagher. The Chelsea academy graduate was called to the England national team last season following a breakthrough season while on loan at Crystal Palace.
Reacting to Conor Gallagher being called up for the World Cup, Graham Potter said: “It’s not something I gave too much thought to if I’m being honest. It’s nice for Conor, fantastic for us, and great for him. He’s going to have a really positive experience, I think. I’m delighted for him because he’s worked really hard and he’s a fantastic person. So it’s nice.”
“I saw him the other day. It’s a fantastic honor for him, so everyone is really pleased. It’s a nice story. He’s come through the club, been out on loan, and the chance to play in a World Cup is great news for him.”
Reece James and Chilwell did not make it to the World Cup because of injuries. Reece James to took to Twitter to wish his teammate well but felt disappointed after he was ruled out because of injury.
Asked if he has spoken to them after being injured and ruled out of the World Cup, he said: “Yes, but it’s a natural reaction to be disappointed. Reece thought he would be close and did everything he could to give himself a chance. In the end, he fell a little bit short. I can understand the decision and can understand Reece’s frustration and disappointment. So we have to focus on the rehab and get them back as soon as they can.”
“Yeah, I think that’s fair to say. It’s normal, though, isn’t it? A World Cup doesn’t come around very often, so to miss one is disappointing. But they are strong characters and will be fine.”
Their absence from the World Cup means, they will have enough time to recover from their injuries.
He added: “If you’re going to look for a positive, it’s time to do the rehab as thoroughly as possible without a timescale hanging over them. So they can focus on that, and then hopefully, we have them when we start fit, strong, and well.”
On his plans for the players who did not make it to the World Cup, Graham Potter said: “We’ve got a few days to break as there are only about three or four players left. We will have a bit of a break and then reconvene, do a bit of training, and are off to a warm-weather camp. There will be a couple of games to prepare for the restart.”
Meanwhile, Graham Potter has revealed that he would be supporting England during the World Cup.
Potter said: “Honestly, I’ve had no time to think about who the strongest teams are at the World Cup. I’ll be rooting for England, obviously, and fingers crossed for them.”
