13 October 2023 , 14:06
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Michail Antonio has branded England boss Gareth Southgate "embarrassing" for not picking James Ward-Prowse after his impressive start to life at West Ham.
Since joining the Hammers from Southampton over the summer, Ward-Prowse has scored two goals and provided six assists in seven Premier League games and Antonio believes his new team-mate deserves international recognition. Ward-Prowse has been capped 11 times by England, but has not played for them since last year.
He was a controversial omission from Southgate's World Cup squad and Antonio has questioned why Ward-Prowse has been overlooked when players like Kalvin Phillips and Harry Maguire keep getting selected despite not playing regularly for their clubs. "He's taking the mick," Antonio said on the Footballer's Football Podcast.
"James Ward-Prowse. How on earth is he not getting a call up. It's embarrassing! It's embarrassing. The stats he has, everything he's been doing, he's been playing week-in, week-out - for years.
"I think that when you are playing at your best you should be rewarded and for me that is England. He has been unbelievable. I understand managers like to pick players they trust, but he has got players in there who are not even playing. I do not like that."
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Antonio also reflected on his own experiences with England, having been called up twice but never given his debut before deciding to represent Jamaica in 2021. "I felt powerless, and I couldn't understand it," Antonio said.
James Ward-Prowse has been in great form for West Ham this season, but was not picked for England by Gareth Southgate (Getty Images)"So, James Ward-Prowse has been unbelievable for us, and his stats speak for themself. I'm not talking just because he's my team-mate. There are other players out there that are doing well, that should also get the call-up as well."
The forward even suggested that Ward-Prowse should turn down any future England call-ups until Southgate is replaced. "I ain't going to lie - if I was James [and got picked], I wouldn't go! I'm being deadly serious - I would not go.
"I'd be like, 'I'm not playing for you. Why would I do that? There's no bigger honour playing for your country, but I would not want to play for the man. At the end of the day, I have done everything possible to be called up by you, and multiple times you've overlooked me when possibly, you shouldn't have'."