Arsenal star Ben White has been accused of ‘disrespecting’ football (Image: Getty)
star has been labelled “disrespectful to the sport” over reportedly making himself unavailable for England selection and his refusal to watch football in his spare time. Former Scotland striker Ally McCoist believes new Three Lions boss should slam the door in the defender’s face if his refusal to play international football continues.
White has not been part of the England squad since he returned home early from the 2022 World Cup. It is widely claimed that , who departed the Football Association alongside the long-serving head coach after Euro 2024.
Tuchel is said to have had talks with White, who did not play under interim boss Lee Carsley, over returning. McCoist says he should not be allowed to return in the future if he continues to turn down the opportunity to represent his country.
“I don’t know why Ben White made that decision, right?” the 62-year-old told talkSPORT. “If he made the decision because he didn’t fancy it then I think it should be slammed right in his mush.
“Should he be given the opportunity to come back into a place where if and when it suits him, for example? That’s effectively what we’re talking about here. My answer is no, he shouldn’t, but I don’t know the full ins and outs of why he did it in the first place.”
McCoist also believes White should never have revealed that he watches little football during his spare time. The former Brighton star prefers to separate his professional and personal lives – but McCoist believes that is “disrespectful to the sport”.
“It hits people the wrong way,” he continued. “Because a lot of people are concerned at the fact they think, and maybe myself to a certain degree, he’s been a little bit disrespectful to the sport that’s been so good to him.
Ben White has not been involved in an England squad since the 2022 World Cup (Image: Getty)
“I’m not saying everybody should go and watch every game on the planet, of course you shouldn’t. But you can’t really come out and see there’s people spending lots of money to go and watch games of football, and you’re coming out and saying: ‘Well, I don’t really like it’.
“I know some people say, ‘I admire his honesty’, but I think that that kind of honesty should maybe stay in there, because it does upset people that love football.”