The former Chelsea and Manchester City winger spoke to CanadaSportsBetting.ca on England’s World Cup hopes, the battle for the number 10 shirt, and his Premier League player, team and manager of the season.
As Canada prepares for the World Cup, we spoke to Shaun Wright-Phillips about Alphonso Davies’ Bayern Munich team mate, Harry Kane. We also touched on the the former winger’s thoughts on the England team, along with his top picks for the best players and managers in the EPL.
England and the World Cup
Harry Kane is the talisman, in fantastic form heading into the World Cup. But we’ve just seen England look completely toothless without him against Japan. Is England’s World Cup fate too dependent on one man?
Shaun Wright-Phillips: “Yes and no! I think there’s other players in that squad that can do, not what Harry Kane does, but score goals at crucial times.
“We’ve seen it with Saka. When Sterling was in the squad, we’ve seen it with Sterling. We know Rashford could do it. You’ve seen Jude score important goals. So there are players that will step up and score goals when needed to, so I wouldn’t say that.
“But who gets close to Harry Kane? Pretty much no one. He’s an unbelievable player, and for me, he’s just got better and better. So it’s only normal that if he’s not in the squad or in a game, you’re gonna miss him.
“It’s just about those players on the pitch finding out and figuring out another way to play without a so-called genius sometimes. When Kane gets on the ball, other players can make runs off of him. If he’s not there to get on the ball, then those players need to think differently and somebody else needs to take up that mantle.”
Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers — there’s a battle for that number 10 role. Who do you think starts, and who do you think has the biggest tournament?
SWP: “I don’t think that Jude is a 10 per se – I see him more as an eight. The 10s I see are your Ezes, your Cole Palmers and your Morgan Gibbs-Whites. That’s who I would put as a 10.
“You want that person as a 10 to risk the ball, take chances in trying to create opportunities, and sometimes grab the game by the scruff of the neck where they’re saying, ‘okay, I’m gonna win this game for us.’
“So I’m not sure who Tuchel plays there. I thought it would’ve been Morgan Rogers at one point, but his form’s kind of dipped at the minute. So it’s whether they still think that makes a difference. But I can imagine he’s gonna start Jude there.”
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Player, Team and Manager of the Season
Who gets your player of the season?
SWP: “Oof. That’s a hard one. There’s two. David Raya, because I think without some of the saves he’s made, Arsenal are not where they are now. That’s my opinion. But if Nico O’Reilly wasn’t so young, I’d mostly say him.
“I think he’s been unbelievable for a kid so young to play in any position he’s requested to play in and perform at the levels he’s performed at on a very, very consistent basis. Then to go to the cup final and score two goals as well to win the cup for them.
“It’s a tough one, I can imagine it’ll be Nico, it could be Raya. Oh no – Bruno Fernandes. I think I’d give it to Bruno Fernandes. Now that I’m thinking about it.”
How come you’d go with Bruno?
SWP: “He’s just been a monster, to be honest with you. In every way. When Kevin de Bruyne was at City, I used to always say he’s the only person that could most probably go toe to toe with Kevin in terms of the output of what he creates for his team.
“But not only that, how hard he actually works for a flair player — he does everything for that team. To do what he’s done this year, it has been quite an up and down season. He’s been doing it with Amorim, who was playing him deep away from the attacking line, still causing problems. You put him where he should have been playing all his time, and look at what he’s doing now. For me, he is a person that has got them into the Champions League. An unbelievable season.”
Team of the season — Raya in goal?
SWP: “Yeah. I’d probably say Jurrien Timber at right back. Gabriel as one of the centre backs – Khusanov hasn’t played a full season so I can’t really go with him. Nico O’Reilly would be my left back, that’s for sure. I have to go for Saliba.
“Holding midfielders — Rodri hasn’t played a lot of the season, so I’ll probably go with Elliot Anderson. Probably Declan Rice. Then in midfield at number 10, I’d mostly say Bruno Fernandes.
“Wingers… can’t lie, Semenyo has scored a lot of goals. I’ll put Semenyo in. Haaland up front. And one more winger. I don’t think the wingers have been that great apart from maybe Semenyo and Doku this season. I haven’t seen a lot of ‘whoa’.
“Gibbs-White – he’s been unbelievable, but I don’t think he’s been better than Bruno Fernandes. Semenyo’s got more goals. At Bournemouth, he was frightening. So wingers would be Doku and Semenyo.”
Manager of the Season
Top five Premier League managers this season — and why?
SWP: “I would actually put Keith Andrews at the top. We’re going off just this Premier League season. I’m only putting him top because that’s who I would give the Manager of the Year award to. Then I would say Pep.
“Before I answer this question, if I chuck myself under the bus! This season, I think with what Keith Andrews has done, he’s probably accomplished the most. In terms of managers, I would say Pep’s the best because he is. That’s how I would pretty much answer that.”
Why does Keith Andrews get your manager of the season?
SWP: “You sell all your best players, and you’re the set piece coach. You go into management, everyone thinks you’re gonna go down, and now you’re in a position where you can be in the Champions League. That is an achievement.
“When you’re looking at what’s happened to Spurs, where Chelsea are in the table, and all the clubs for the last four years that have been pushing for those positions – Keith Andrews has come after a hard manager to replace in Thomas Frank, and in many ways has done that and then some.
“I just think what he’s done is a remarkable achievement. Kudos is due where kudos is due.”
