Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez has boldly claimed that midfielder Isaac Hayden has the potential to play for England.
The 23-year-old has been in impressive form after being drafted in to help alleviate the Magpies’ midfield injury crisis around the turn of the year, and has managed to keep his place in the side after a string of top drawer displays.
And manager Benitez believes that he could be in line for an England nod.
As quoted in the Chronicle, he said: “What I will say is that he has the potential. It wasn’t an easy situation for him at the beginning [of the season], but he came back quite well, now he’s doing well and he’s focused.
“Still he has the potential, he’s more mature, and hopefully he can continue learning.
“I don’t know if now it will be an option [for him to be in the England squad later this month], but I’m sure that if he continues playing at this level then in a few months he can be an option at least.”
OPINION
At the start of the season, if somebody had made the claim that Isaac Hayden would have been touted for a potential England call up by March, they probably would have been laughed out of town. The 23-year-old was barley getting a look in at Newcastle, let alone a sustained run in the first team, and his prospects were looking slim at best. Having made no secret that he wanted to leave the club as soon as possible, it appeared that he was destined to gather dust in the reserves until a dreadful in jury plight catapulted him into the limelight. Ever since then he has been incredible. Calm and assured, willing to battle and not afraid of the hard work, he has been a revelation in the Magpies’ engine room, and now fans must be hoping and praying that he can be convinced to stay on Tyneside. The likelihood of that happening are very, very slim, but a national nod could boost his profile no end.
