KYLE WALKER showed his professionalism by playing alongside Man City’s reserve team during the international break.
Walker, 34, was snubbed from Lee Carsley‘s first England squad, leaving him as one of just a few City players staying in Manchester during the break.
Kyle Walker used the international break to show his leadership to Man City’s reservesAlamy
The experienced full-back hadn’t been left out of an England squad, barring injury, since 2022 before Carsley’s appointment.
But the 90-time England international wasn’t going to sit and sulk at Man City’s training ground.
Instead Walker decided to set an example for the young players at the Manchester club, playing with City’s Elite Development Squad (EDS) in a friendly against non-league club Buxton.
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, Walker said: “When you’re not selected it’s train hard and get on with it.”
“It’s important. I’m the captain of the team. If the captain goes to play with, as I know it, the reserves then everyone can do it.
“If you need the minutes in the legs, and can pass on your experience to the youth, then why not? Hopefully they benefited from me playing 45 minutes against Buxton.
“No-one is bigger than a game. A game of football is putting minutes in your legs, getting your rhythm.
“If the club captain can do it then hopefully some of the lads in the first-team squad go and ask and can play as well.”
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Walker wasn’t the only one who joined in either with Ilkay Gundogan, who just retired from international football with Germany, also joining him against the National League North side.
Walker hasn’t just found himself out of the England setup but the Man City side too.
The former Spurs and Sheffield United defender has started just one Premier League game so far this season, seemingly falling behind Rico Lewis in the pecking order.
It’s Lewis who seems to have snatched his spot in the England set-up too with the 19-year-old earning his second cap for the Three Lions in England’s 2-0 win over Finland under Carsley.