Following a frustrating Summer with England in Euro 24, West Ham’s Captain has been discussing his experiences and how he sees his international future. Having only played small cameo performances in an England shirt during the exciting but ultimately unsuccessful tournament, we could be forgiven for thinking that there is some left-over concern he might have about the lack of game time in the summer or trepidation about his future under a new manager.
Far from it. Whilst Jarrod Bowen was grateful to Gareth Southgate for his selection and debut, he is looking forward to impressing his successor.
In an interview for the Evening Standard, West Ham’s skipper is in a very positive mood, reflecting on his England career, and especially about his future in a three lions’ shirt:
“It’s only been a couple of days, but the training we’ve done has been good. It’s been exciting: a new manager, new structures, new ways, new beliefs. And it’s a team that wants to win. That starts Saturday evening.
Bowen says it has been an exciting start under Lee Carsley, England’s former under 21’s manager, who represented Saturday’s opponents Ireland as a player. “Lee Carsley has exciting new ideas, now I want to show him what I can do for England’
And on the game against Ireland:
“It’s down to the games now, we have to go out and perform. It will be a difficult game against Ireland. The Aviva [Stadium] will be a sell-out.”
Bowen is certainly looking forward to the new era and hopefully more game time in the England white.
Many would have been dejected after just having a small part to play in this summer’s tournament, but Bowen again was upbeat even about only playing short spells: “But those minutes I did play, I’ll always hold them with me. It’s something no one can take away from me, playing at a major tournament for my country.
“I don’t see it as a negative. I see it as a really good experience I learned a lot from.”
I think it says a lot about the man, instead of getting ‘down’ on being Bukayo Saka’s permanent understudy, Bowen is fresh and eager for the next campaign, choosing to find the ‘good’ in the experience which we as Hammers fans all found intensely frustrating waiting for Gareth Southgate to ring the changes. Maybe this time around. Lee Carsley will deploy West Ham’s talisman in a more effective role which I’m sure will be to the team’s benefit.
Bowen is certainly maturing as both an England player and our Hammers captain – which can only be good for the forthcoming season at London Stadium.
Ireland V England (hopefully with Bowen starting) will be live from the Aviva Stadium in Ireland at 5pm Saturday , on ITV1.