Gabby Agbonlahor gives fascinating insight into life during international duty with England
Fascinating insight from the former striker.
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Topics: England, Gabriel Agbonlahor
Marcus Chan
Topics: England, Gabriel Agbonlahor
Former England striker Gabby Agbonlahor has revealed what life was like when he went on international duty with England.
During his career, Agbonlahor made a total of three appearances for England, whilst speaking on talkSPORT, the former Aston Villa striker revealed what he hated about international duty.
He said: “When I got called up to the England squad, you have your Manchester United players next to each other, your Chelsea players then Liverpool. Then you had your Middlesbrough, West Ham and Villa players, we knew our place on the end of the long table in the canteen.
“You’d never sit on the left side of the table because you had players like Rooney, Beckham, Rio(Ferdinand), Terry, Ashley Cole and Michael Carrick you knew you couldn’t sit there.”
Agbonlahor added: “Those were elite players weren’t they so you are sort of starstruck looking at them.
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“David Beckham used to sit in the middle and didn’t speak to anyone. He had his diary in the middle and just kept himself to himself.”
The former striker continued: “I remember Phil Jagielka asking Beckham a question about the Milan derby.
“He literally closed his book in disgust like ‘Are you really asking me this when I’m trying to be on my own’, he didn’t want to talk to anyone.
“I looked at Phil Jagielka and I was like ‘You’re brave asking that question!’”.
As the 2022 World Cup approaches, England have been drawn into Group B alongside Iran, Wales and USA. Ahead of the clash between the two home nations, Agbonlahor has said that no Welsh players could get into the England side, not even Gareth Bale.
He said: “I do rate him, I just feel that no Welsh player would get anywhere near England’s best 30 players available.
“There’s 26 in a squad, plus four more. Toney gets in ahead of Bale.”
England will begin their campaign against Iran on Monday whilst Wales will take on the USA later that evening.