Ross Barkley under fire: Why I feel a bit sorry for the ‘next big England hope’
Everton midfielder was bigged up so much - but he has to perform in the big games when all the attention is on him
I HAVE to admit, I feel a bit sorry for Ross Barkley.
He wasn’t the one saying he’s the next big English hope. I don’t see him building himself up or posing on the front pages of magazines.
No, that is down to other people and it’s what we constantly do with young talent in this country.
People also keep asking about why he is not playing for England.
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But in his position there are two guys better than him at the moment — Dele Alli and Adam Lallana.
There is no doubt Ross was poor against Liverpool.
And he has got to perform in the big games because that’s when all the attention is on him.
But I definitely have some sympathy for him because his performances on the whole have been good since manager Ronald Koeman left him out of the side earlier in the season.
WHEN Jurgen Klopp came to England, I said straightaway that he was going to really p*** off a lot of managers.
I knew the antics of Liverpool’s boss on the touchline would get under the skin of his rivals. And I totally understand why some of them, including Ronald Koeman on Saturday, get angry.
But it wouldn’t have bothered Koeman as much had Everton won the derby.
Klopp won’t care if he is winding others up. He is passionate, excitable and shows his emotions. He won’t change — and why should he?