The Euros are fast approaching, with the tournament itself being held in the summer of this year, meaning that international sides are now setting up their pre-competition friendlies.
For a club team, releasing star players to go and feature in friendly matches is always a nervy ordeal, as it runs the risk of injury in what is essentially a pointless match.
Many will remember that Giovani Lo Celso suffered a hip injury in early September whilst on international duty with Argentina having appeared in three matches for Spurs, but was yet to start a match (BBC).
Some of the Tottenham’s England contingent including Harry Kane, Harry Winks, and Dele Alli are also relatively injury-prone, but would all of course love to be called up.
Jose Mourinho was talking this week about how he deals with international call ups and whether he would pull his players from friendlies.
He said (Football London): “It doesn’t affect it at all, at all. If you ask me which team I’d love to win the Euros I’d say Portugal first and England second.
“So for sure, I’d love England to succeed. For sure I’ll be always supportive of England. For sure I will be always very happy and proud if I can help in some way and to help in some way is to give them players in good form that Gareth and Steve [Holland] can choose and bring to the team.
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“I have to focus on my job and my job is the Tottenham team, but of course I care about the players and I will be more than happy if I can help players to go and to arrive in a great moment.
“The problem is that one day if I become a national team coach, I will want lots of friendlies and players!” he said before using Kane as an example.
“No, they are on one side, we are on another side. I think Harry and the club do everything we can to help him and the national team I think do the same.
“I think he is the player that he is because everybody that works with him over these past years made him what he is, but I cannot say much more than that.
“We have to release the players that are selected. They select, we give the players. It’s as simple as that.”
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