Chelsea’s forgotten man Ross Barkley hopes Maurizio Sarri can reignite his career and fire him back into England contention
Midfielder is fit and firing again and ready to show he could be the ingredient England were missing at the World Cup
AS a World Cup final place slipped out of England’s grasp in Moscow, we all thought the same thing.
If only Gareth Southgate had a twinkle-toed playmaker like Croatia’s Luka Modric.
The breathless energy of Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling helped carry the Three Lions all the way to a semi-final — something virtually no one had predicted — before the lack of a creative midfielder cost us.
That gaping hole must also have been evident to Chelsea’s forgotten man Ross Barkley.
The Scouser could have no truck with England boss Southgate for not being picked. He managed just four appearances last season.
Barkley did not play for Everton due to a hamstring problem — before racking up only two Prem and two cup outings for the Blues after a £15million move in January.
So he is very philosophical about missing out on Russia.
Barkley said: “Last season was tough. With the type of injury I had, you do get little niggles.
“I had a few little ones from recovering and getting used to working hard, getting my body right again.
“I kept in touch with a few of the lads at the World Cup and I was wishing them well.
“I have been seeing the progress the team has made and I’ve been in one squad under Gareth Southgate. I’ve seen the direction the team is going.
“They have really improved in the last couple of years.
“It has been out with the old and in with the new. There has been a progression.
“You see with the younger age groups that they are also doing very well.
“They are winning World Cups and doing well with developing players now.
“That approach through the younger age groups lets you see the quality and confidence they could have in the future.
“In the next World Cup or even the next Euros, there may be more talent mixed in with some experience — and going forward that’s really exciting.”
Up next for England is the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.
And a fit Barkley could be just what Southgate needs.
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Here is an Englishman who possesses exactly the sort of play-making skills the manager is crying out for.
He has been likened to Steven Gerrard and even Paul Gascoigne.
This is a player who made his Three Lions debut at 19 and a year later went to the World Cup — not just to learn but to feature in all three games in England’s ill-fated 2014 campaign start.
Five years ago, Everton legend Tim Cahill labelled his then Toffee team-mate as the “best kid I’ve ever played with”.
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Barkley is still only 24, with 150 Premier League games for Everton behind him. And now he has a new boss in Maurizio Sarri, whose quick-passing philosophy looks perfectly suited to his skill-set.
Barkley’s slick first 20 minutes of Chelsea’s pre-season win over Inter in Nice on Saturday hinted at what he could become playing thrilling ‘Sarri-ball’.
And the midfielder is convinced he will be back better than ever having finally overcome his bad luck with injuries.
He said: “During the close-season I got really fit just to give myself a head start.
“When you have got a new manager, then you need to impress and get used to what he wants really quickly. That has been my approach.
“I feel fit and strong now and I know I will go into this season feeling ready.
“To earn a regular spot at Chelsea is my main focus. If I do well at Chelsea, then the national team will take care of itself.”
He is not the only one hoping he can do just that. Because a fit Barkley could be the ingredient England were missing in Moscow.