West Ham United: Jarrod Bowen could be handed deserved key England role after press conference
West Ham United star Jarrod Bowen is now surely set for a key role for England under Gareth Southgate after undertaking a press conference ahead of their international friendly with Australia on Friday.
The 26-year-old forward has been in spectacular form for the Hammers so far this campaign having now scored and assisted a combined six goals and one assist in seven games – a tally only Mohammed Salah, Ollie Watkins (both seven) and Erling Haaland (nine) can better.
Such form deservedly led to a new contract six-and-a-half-year deal announced on Sunday, 8 October at the London Stadium and an international call-up to the latest England squad from Southgate.
However, his chances for a start for England were certainly boosted by the news that Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka had to withdraw from the squad (October 9) because of an injury suffered in their Champions League loss to Lens last week.
The England boss admitted in his press conference on Thursday (5 October) that the game against Australia will be an opportunity to see how fringe players fare in his squad which may have been a hint at Bowen’s chance to stake a deserved claim for a consistent England role or spot.
But, it now seems as if the high-flying West Ham United star will not be set for a key role in both games against the Socceroos and Italy after undertaking a press conference ahead of Friday’s game on Tuesday (10 October).
Very rarely does a fringe player in Southgate’s squad undertake interviews for England unless they’re a newly-capped international but given the form Bowen has enjoyed so far this season, this only means that he will be crucial for Southgate in the coming games.
No other England forward, bar Harry Kane and Watkins, have bettered his goalscoring form this season making him a sure bet to start their next two fixtures with Bukayo Saka – a regular for Southgate – out of the England reckoning.
After his deserved new contract at the London Stadium, Bowen is certainly on his way to bigger and better things in his career and a run of starts for England is a fine way to give him the international and elite exposure he needs to improve even further for David Moyes and West Ham United.
A superb development for all parties involved.
In other West Ham news, one London Stadium star could well be forced out by Moyes in January after what he did against Freiburg.