Tribal Football

Southampton boss Martin: Harwood-Bellis deserves England call

Paul Vegas
Southampton boss Martin: Harwood-Bellis deserves England call
Southampton boss Martin: Harwood-Bellis deserves England callAction Plus
Southampton boss Russell Martin is delighted seeing Taylor Harwood-Bellis earn a first call-up with England.

Martin says the defender deserves the selection.

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He said: "Lee (Carsley) knows him very well, he's been his captain (England U21s) for a while so he knows what he can bring.

"In the last couple of weeks, we've seen Taylor grow a lot as a character and leader on the pitch. He's taken a big responsibility, which he always has done for us with the ball.

"His mentality to defend, to head the ball, to be aggressive, to attack the ball at set-pieces is where he's become a real threat. He has to keep improving.

"He has a lot of work to do but he's also an extremely talented young man with an amazing mindset and mentality, which is obviously why we were so keen to get him last season.

"Fortunately, we got promoted so we were able to keep him and now he's grown again and he has to continue to do that. It'll be brilliant for him.

"I know he's trained in and around the squad before anyway when the under-21s have been used in training with the first team. I don't think he'll have any worries about that.

"Knowing Taylor, he'll just be desperate to get on the pitch and try and force his way into it. I'm really delighted for him, as I am for Rambo (Aaron Ramsdale) to get back into the squad."