Chris Sutton has admitted that turning down a call-up to the England B team in 1998 was a rash decision that ultimately derailed his international career. The former striker, now 53, made the admission while reflecting on a decision that left him with just one senior cap for his country.
Sutton was asked to play in a B team game against Chile in the build-up to the 1998 World Cup, with then-manager Glenn Hoddle wanting to see him in action before selecting his official tournament squad. However, Sutton turned down the chance as he believed he deserved to be in the main team.
A decision he came to regret
Speaking previously to the Daily Mail, Sutton accepted that saying no to England at that time derailed his international career. He explained: "Yes, I made a rash decision with England. Well, a little bit of a rash decision. I don't know if it was held against me when Sven Goran Eriksson was manager."
He added: "I went to Celtic and had five good years there, playing some good football and never got a look-in. Let's be realistic, I wouldn't have played that often because there were players ahead of me in the pecking order. But that decision back then? Yes, it was a bit impetuous."
Career success after the snub
At the time of the snub, Sutton was playing a starring role for Blackburn Rovers after helping them win the Premier League title in the 1994/95 season. A year at Chelsea followed before he found his major success with Scottish side Celtic.
The ex-striker won eight major trophies in Scotland, including four league titles, three Scottish Cups and the League Cup. He was also part of Martin O'Neill's side that reached the UEFA Cup final in 2004, losing 3-2 to Porto. Sutton retired in 2007 after stints at Aston Villa and Birmingham City, having earned only one cap for his country.
England's current Nations League campaign
England return to action on Saturday night with a visit from World Cup winners Spain in the Nations League. Thomas Tuchel has seen five players withdraw from the squad since his announcement, with Cole Palmer, Tino Livramento, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice all stepping down. Tuchel has opted to call upon Morgan Gibbs-White and James Garner as replacements.
