Ray Parlour was speaking with NetBet Sports Betting today and he gave his thoughts on the decision by Benjamin White to make himself unavailable for international selection as well as reaction to Arsenal’s quarter-final draw in the UEFA Champions League against Bayern Munich.
On Ben White’s decision to not go to England duty:
“Well, everyone’s got their opinion, I would never have done it if I’m being honest, because I feel proud of the playing for the country, but I think it goes back a little bit to the World Cup, isn’t it when he come home early, and you know, he’s he is probably thinking I’m not going to get opportunity and I’d rather spend more time with my family, I don’t know. But that’s a decision that he’s got to make as a player. I think what you’ve got to do is wait to get an opportunity, and it’s okay, but he’s got a lot of right-backs in front of him. If he’s going to play right-back. I would probably turn up to every squad and hopefully, pray that one day I’ll get an opportunity to do well but he’s made that decision and you’ve got to respect it. It maybe changes if another manager comes in, who knows? Maybe they fell out, the managers and coaches or whatever. Maybe a new manager comes in and gives him an opportunity again.”
On using the international break as an opportunity to rest:
“It’s good because there is time, and you need a rest and there’s certain clubs who want the rest because they’ve got injuries and certain players coming back. We could have an anti-inflammatory and get through the game and then you’re on the treatment table for a couple of days and you’re trying in the game, then you’re playing again. So certain players do probably take that risk and it doesn’t help when you’re going away to England because it’s a different programme to your clubs. I think you should be proud to go to if you’re fit and ready to go.”
On the Champions League draw for Arsenal:
“The draw has been unkind really. I mean, it could have been a lot better. The home games first which isn’t ideal. The only advantage of Bayern really, they could probably rest players before the two games where Arsenal can’t as they’re going for the title. With Bayern, you look at their league form, I don’t think Bayern can overturn that 10-point gap to Bayer Leverkusen so I think they will throw all their eggs into their Champions League basket.”
