Brighton shotstopper Jason Steele was a shock inclusion in the latest England squad - so much so that the goalkeeper himself had booked a family holiday over the international break
Jason Steele was among the shock inclusions in the latest England squad
Jason Steele was among the shock inclusions in the latest England squad
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Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele admits he had booked a holiday over the international break before securing a shock England call-up - but the 35-year-old admits "no money could have stopped me going".
Thomas Tuchel named an extended 35-man squad for the March friendlies with Uruguay and Japan at Wembley. Included were five goalkeepers with Steele the shock name having not been near, nor mentioned, as part of any previous squad.
Steele has only played five times all season, with none of his appearances coming in the Premier League as Bart Verbruggen remains the Brighton No 1. As a result he thought he was safe to book a family holiday for the coming weeks, but will quickly u-turn on those plans.
He told the Telegraph: “Did I have a holiday booked? I might have, yeah… My wife will look after all of that. Don’t worry about that. No money in the world could have stopped me going.”
Steele hadn't spoken to Tuchel about being selected but will now rub shoulders with Three Lions No 1 Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale, James Trafford and Dean Henderson. The latter among 11 players who will arrive late to camp and miss the first game.
The Brighton back-up had been in the England picture all through his teenage years and continued to get selected up until the U21s, but that is where his international career ended. Steele's call-up has drawn huge praise from his team-mates, who put him front and centre at the weekend.
After they beat Liverpool 2-1 Steele was pushed towards the fans, 24 hours after a rousing reception. He said: “I came into the team meeting on Friday and my team-mates gave me a round of applause. That means more to me than anything. Very emotional.”
Thomas Tuchel has named an extended squad for the March internationals
Thomas Tuchel has named an extended squad for the March internationals
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Steele came through the ranks at Middlesbrough and was their No 1 for several years in the Championship. He moved to Blackburn, where he was again first choice. After a year with Sunderland he was signed by Brighton when they were in the top flight. Since 2018 he's only made 35 appearances in the Premier League, but is thrilled to see his dedication pay off.
“It was always my dream to represent my country. I’m fortunate to have done it from when I was 15 until 21," said the goalkeeper. "That’s usually the preparing you for those senior occasions. It’s come a little bit later than what we would have wanted! It’s a nice journey – a run of perseverance, effort, sacrifice. At 35, I still enjoy throwing myself on the ground every single day and giving my all for this football club. And, ultimately, it pays off.”
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