Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has admitted that he told Gareth Southgate that he ‘didn’t want to go back’ when on England duty, as he told Sky Sports.
After being the second-highest goalscoring Englishman in the Premier League last season in Leeds colours, Bamford was rewarded with his maiden England bow this month.
It has been some rise for the Leeds hitman, who was let go whilst in Chelsea’s academy, he flirted around various Championship clubs, before finding the perfect home at Elland Road.
All of that led him to the path at St George’s Park, where he made his Three Lions debut against Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in early September.
Bamford shared it was a moment that will live with him ‘forever’, as he shared what he told his 51-year-old national coach.
“In terms of England, I was delighted,” said Bamford. “I have got to work hard now to keep my name in the frame.
“I said to Gareth, when he was speaking to me on the camp, ‘I don’t want to go back’. I was enjoying it so much.
“There was such a good atmosphere in training, it really was. And it’s something that will live with me forever.”
There is going to be some serious competition for those striker places and Bamford needs to get fire those goals in if he wants to maintain his spot.
The key thing is that he now knows that he is in Southgate’s plans and if he keeps ticking along then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in the next squad.
But a certain Tammy Abraham is ripping it up in Rome, under Jose Mourinho’s guidance, whilst Ollie Watkins, who was picked ahead of him before Euro 2020, is now back from injury.
Then there’s Marcus Rashford, if he is considered a striker, that might also be competition for Bamford, as well as Danny Ings, who has had an outstanding start to life at Aston Villa.
Not forgetting someone like Mason Greenwood, with many questioning why he isn’t being selected for the international stage.
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