David Ornstein has insisted that Callum Wilson’s impact off the pitch could help the Newcastle United ace head to the World Cup with England.
Wilson has certainly not hidden the fact he’s desperate to go to this winter’s World Cup with England making comments about how he should be going and his form at the moment is certainly backing up his case.
The Newcastle number nine has four England caps to his name and the last of those came back in 2019 when he was playing for Bournemouth, but with the striker having recently earned a new contract and bagged six goals this season, he could well be on the plane to Qatar in a few weeks.
Ornstein, however, has confirmed on Sky Sports that what Wilson is like off the pitch could see Gareth Southgate pick him in his final England squad.
(0:11) “He’s got a better goal-per-minute ratio I think than Harry Kane this season, six plus two assists as well and Gareth Southgate was watching Newcastle’s match against Villa from the stands at St James’ Park, we understand that he spoke to Amanda Staveley the Newcastle co-owner afterwards and that Callum Wilson was mentioned, so certainly he’s in the mix.
“I think he’s on that 55-man-long list, and he appears to be proving his fitness at the moment as well. So if you’re looking at inform strikers of an English variety, you’ve got Tammy Abraham, of course, has been in the mix in recent times.
Should Wilson go to the World Cup?
Yes!
No!
“Ivan Toney was in the last one but didn’t play a minute, but really it’s Wilson, he’s got a lot of goodwill behind him and he knows about it and he’s going to speak about it even if that comes across to some people as being arrogant.
“I think Callum Wilson is a real character is a really good player, Newcastle value him and I reported recently that they’ve just tied him down to a new contract that is yet to be announced one of the reasons for that is not just his playing ability, but his personality, his influence in the dressing room around the club.
“I think that’s something that Gareth Southgate prioritises as well the group will be crucial out in Qatar like it is at any major tournament.”
TIF Thoughts on Wilson’s World Cup hopes…
If Southgate is picking his England squad and more specifically his strikers, on current form, then Wilson would be an absolute guarantee as it’s only Harry Kane that can come close to the numbers he’s been putting up since his return to injury.
Since Wilson returned from his early season hamstring injury, Ivan Toney has scored three goals and Tammy Abraham has zero league goals to his name, so Wilson, if he can keep himself fit over the next week or so, should have a very good chance of going to the World Cup.
While Wilson would naturally be gutted if he didn’t end up going to the World Cup after speaking about it so openly, Newcastle fans and Eddie Howe would probably be secretly happy given it would allow the striker to rest and keep working with the club’s medical team over the winter, to ensure he’s fit and firing for the second half o the campaign.