ADAM Wharton believe’s he is the man to fill the Kalvin Phillips role for struggling England at Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate’s side are top with four points from two games ahead of their final Group C fixture against Slovenia in Cologne on Tuesday.
But England were unimpressive in their 1-0 win over Serbia and 1-1 draw against Denmark, particularly in possession.
Southgate admitted it was an “experiment” playing Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield alongside Declan Rice. He has brought on Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher for the former both games.
And after the draw with Denmark Southgate raised plenty of eyebrows when he said he doesn’t have a natural replacement for Phillips, who starred at Euro 2020.
“Yeah,” Wharton responded when asked if he could be that player. “And so do the other players in similar positions, who think they could have a positive effect on the team.
“I have got belief that no matter who, where or when I play football that I can affect a game. I think you have to think like that.
“If I think, ‘I can’t handle this’, then what am I doing here? That’s the way I look at it now.
“I believe I can affect any game I play in, so I am just making sure I am ready if I am called upon to help.
“I don’t necessarily look at myself being special or anything like that. It’s just the way I play.
“If I was to describe my game I would just say, it’s pretty simple but effective. I’ve been playing a lot deeper in the midfield in the Premier League.
“If you’ve got great players in attack, like the [Jude] Bellinghams, the [Phil] Fodens, then you have to get them in the pockets.
“All I want to do if you’ve got players like that is give them the ball because that’s when they come alive to produce bits of magic, create chances, score goals, things like that.
“When I’m playing with top players who can produce moments like that, all I’m going to do is give them the ball as much as I can. So if they’re in the pocket and they’re open, I’m going to give it them.”
Southgate said before the tournament Wharton is the type of player England haven’t had for “seven or eight years”. Southgate said Wharton and Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, who also hasn’t yet seen action in Germany, could be like Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
“I think all midfielders want to try and control the game because it gives you a better chance to win the game,” Wharton said.
“Even watching them, especially in the first game [against Scotland] I thought Kroos pretty much controlled the game, dropping deep, playing out and playing it forward to players they had in attack. That’s where they caused a lot of damage.
“I do take bits of their game to help mine because they’re top players who have had great careers. I’ll try and get as many medals and trophies as them.”
Wharton picked out Spain and Manchester City’s Rodri as the best holding midfielder in the game.
He said: “You see how consistent he’s been in the last few seasons and the way he plays. He rarely has a bad game.
“He’s got a bit of everything. He’s good on the ball, stops attacks, keeps teams penned in. When they clear it, he’s always there to clean it up.
“He isn’t dribbling past five players. You don’t need to do that in that position.
“He just keeps it, gives it and keeps the ball moving to move the opposition. That’s when the gaps come and you can give it to the great players at the top of the pitch.”
“When I watch good players you naturally take little bits.
“You might see them do a certain movement or make a run that creates space and you might think ‘when I am in that position, I might try that because I know it will leave space here’.
“I think it is just little things from all the top players. Everyone has different attributes. If you can improve on as many as possible then ultimately you will be a better player.
“[Take] the France-Netherlands match last night. I thought there was a few movements from [N’Golo] Kante off the ball. I really like him as a player. The work he does. How much he affects the game. Very good.
“But yes, a few little movements he made, nothing much but just short, sharp off players to receive the ball.”
Wharton insisted he wouldn’t be affected by nerves if he was picked against Slovenia.
He said: “Not really, no. I don’t think about pressure too much.
“It just comes with it. The way I look at it, I’m just playing football. I’ve done it all my life, if I can do it every day why can’t I do it for the next three weeks?”
