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Everton full-back Leighton Baines surprised by his omission from England's World Cup 2010 squd
Homesickness was just not an issue...
15 Jun 2010 12:04:00
By Zack Wilson
Everton left-back Leighton Baines has revealed that being left out of Fabio Capello's final England squad for the World Cup was massively disappointing.
The defender was in the initial 30-man party and played in the friendly against Mexico but found his place taken by Aston Villa's Stephen Warnock.
But Baines insists that his publicly stated concerns that he might suffer from homesickness during the tournament had nothing to do with his being left out of Capello's final 23-man squad.
"I must admit it was a massive disappointment and something of a surprise even though, like most of the lads in the squad, I knew full well that I wasn't guaranteed a place," the left-back told The Liverpool Echo.
"I was feeling low because I knew I hadn't played my best against Mexico and I spoke to a reporter I know about how the game had gone.
"At the end of the conversation I was asked if I was missing the family while we were away, and I said I was but that it's all part and parcel of being a footballer.
"I'm not embarrassed to admit that being away from the family is difficult at times but I'm not the only player who feels that.
"It's natural when you've got a young family and you're away from home for long spells so I was shocked when I read some of the reports that later surfaced.
"I'd never mentioned the word 'homesick' once. I felt that my comments had been misconstrued and I came across as a bit of a moaner, which is not like me at all."
Baines was keen to stress that it was for purely footballing reasons that he was omitted from the squad.
"I was as desperate to make the plane as every other member of the squad and my family was 100 per cent behind me, so I was bitterly disappointed when Mr Capello told me that I wouldn't be going," he added.
"It was a football reason though and had nothing to do with anything written in the newspapers. I respected his decision and wished him and the lads all the best for the tournament."
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The defender was in the initial 30-man party and played in the friendly against Mexico but found his place taken by Aston Villa's Stephen Warnock.
But Baines insists that his publicly stated concerns that he might suffer from homesickness during the tournament had nothing to do with his being left out of Capello's final 23-man squad.
"I must admit it was a massive disappointment and something of a surprise even though, like most of the lads in the squad, I knew full well that I wasn't guaranteed a place," the left-back told The Liverpool Echo.
"I was feeling low because I knew I hadn't played my best against Mexico and I spoke to a reporter I know about how the game had gone.
"At the end of the conversation I was asked if I was missing the family while we were away, and I said I was but that it's all part and parcel of being a footballer.
"I'm not embarrassed to admit that being away from the family is difficult at times but I'm not the only player who feels that.
"It's natural when you've got a young family and you're away from home for long spells so I was shocked when I read some of the reports that later surfaced.
"I'd never mentioned the word 'homesick' once. I felt that my comments had been misconstrued and I came across as a bit of a moaner, which is not like me at all."
Baines was keen to stress that it was for purely footballing reasons that he was omitted from the squad.
"I was as desperate to make the plane as every other member of the squad and my family was 100 per cent behind me, so I was bitterly disappointed when Mr Capello told me that I wouldn't be going," he added.
"It was a football reason though and had nothing to do with anything written in the newspapers. I respected his decision and wished him and the lads all the best for the tournament."
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