Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori has admitted that the decision to represent England was not an easy one for him.
Tomori could have instead opted to play for Canada, where he was born, or Nigeria, where his parents hail from, and he acknowledged he had to think hard about choosing England.
“England is such a big nation, as well as Nigeria and Canada, so I think I was going to be happy with whoever called me up – but it’s nice it is England,” Tomori said.
“It wasn’t England all the way. I had certain people and certain things that I had to consider. I spoke to my family and people that I care about it and that’s the decision I came to. So, when England came calling, it was difficult to say no.
“It was just more of a thing I was waiting for a call-up because the last international break I didn’t get a call-up from anyone. This international break, I was waiting for a call-up and England called me up.
“It’s been a good week. Nice to get the England call-up, but winning in Lilleand today, it’s been a good week. The manager (Lampard) told me in the changing room after the Lille game (about his England call-up) so I knew a day before and I had to keep it a secret.
“I told my family and then it got announced on Thursday. Not at all [did I see it coming]. The manager told me and I was like ‘oh’. It was a nice feeling. I’d say so [that it came quicker than I expected].
“Last season, I wasn’t expecting to be there but I never really put a limit on saying I couldn’t do it. It was just more a case of I’ve got to give my best for my club and wherever I was going to be playing week in, week out and try to get in the squad wherever I was. It is obviously good I am here and now, to be in the England squad, it’s a mad turnaround for myself.”
Tomori will now be hoping to make his England senior debut over the next week and joins Chelsea team-mates Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Ross Barkley in Gareth Southgate’s squad.
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COMMENTS
Congrats…
I wish you well……… “The manager (Lampard) told me in the changing room after the Lille game (about his England call-up) so I knew a day before and I had to keep it a secret.”…… Our former internationals need to do the needful also for our national team. Many young folks have them in high regards. Its high time we team to end this scourge….
We could have captured this guy before he comes into limelight. Am sure he would have accepted to play for Nigeria if we had given him the opportunity to play at Afcon. We failed to spot talents. Let’s be reasonable and put ourselves in their shoes, Tomori and Tammy. Only very few of is would have taken a decision. It’s when Saka sees a clear chance of representing England at senior level that NFA will now wake up to show interest.
CSN should balance the report by adding the bit where Rohr said he spoke to Tomori on the phone and the guy said he’s not thinking about that at the moment, which is why Rohr left him and Tammy out of his plans. Without adding that vital related content, this report is misleading and shifts blame/burden of guilt to Rohr. Tomori and Tammy should keep on lying to themselves and the British press when we all know Nigeria was their 2nd choice all along. They were both waiting till April to play for Nigeria if by then Southgate still fails to look their way. Anyway, our backline screams Udinese, Torino, Leganes (twice), Benfica, Paderborn, Brighton & Hove and West Brom. It’s top-notch, so no much cause for alarm. It’s just the man they’re protecting that needs an upgrade.
Bia csn, enough of this tomori/Abraham nonsense biko. We are not mourning and we can never ever mourn the refusal of a player to play for us. The super eagles is way bigger than anybody. We have not even scratched the surface of fully discovering the array of talents that are dying to play for for us let alone chasing halve baked players. Mr rohr had rightly put them where they should be by declaring that they were not in his plans. What nonsense! Pls, I repeat again, enough if this noise biko
Good one @ Oakfield. What a shame that majority still think that because a player plays in England, that player is better than every other. It’s time we woke up from this mental slavery we gradually sliding into regarding football. We have got loads n loads of talented players as far as our national team is concerned.Whatever their clublevel doesn’t bother me as long as they have the required quality, skill n fitness. That our U-20 defender Igho Ogbu to me is better n stronger than this Tomori guy. Osimene is better n purer talent than Tammy. Even given a choice to choose, I will pick Onuachu, Simon, Dessers even though he had started slowly this season ahead of Tammy. I have been sooooo happy England is gonna cap them ,so they be gone forever.
@glory, I’m really sick and tired of this tomori/Abraham noise.
All this noise is becoming too much
I really pray that next or one of the international friendly window
Nigeria will play England
So that those guys Tammy and Tomori who don’t value or respect where there fathers originated from will taste Nigeria action and knows what they miss
Moreover I don’t think England will use them for long time
My people i wonder oo,t his Csn sef. Everytime Abraham this tomori or tomorrow that, super eagles is far bigger than any name of a player u can mention,pls enough of this,that’s what encourages some Ghanian dwarfs to come and insulting soccer loving Naija’s and even calling us names here,our coach have said it before they choose England that they are not in his plans,amosu and others should give us news concerning our boys dat is going to face Brasil on Sunday,infact journalist that will post anything concerning this 2 boys here again will be visited by thunder,because u people are using it mockery to Nigerians,thats why those dwarfs are interested in it,fly higher super eagles,
CSN is a lazy sport website just copying and pasting. Busy looking for any news on the prodigal sons from other websites instead of updating us on the super eagles travel arrangement, news and camping for the crucial match against Brazil they are busy crying over spilled milk. Pls grow up in you journalism. Our players are far better than these over rated players you are crying over.
Time will definitely tell if they made the right choice or not. Everyone will not play for super eagles. If they feel they have better chance with England so be it. Let’s concentrate on more better things than duelling on this two guys. We are making them unnessary popular as if they will make us win the next world cup. We know they will use them for few matches and dump them. There are many Abraham and tomori if not better players out there. Let’s go for them and thinker the squad. Enough of this Abraham this tomori that.
*unnecessarily
Abraham and Tamori are liars, They know from the very onset that England was their first choice. They only use Nigeria for England call up.Rhor was smart enough to come out under 24 hours before the release of England squad to let the world know they are not in his plans because he already had a hint. Nigeria media are to be blamed as well, the way the Nigeria media over-hyped Abraham and Tomori something English media will never and never do for the likes of Alex iwobi, Ola Aina, Joe Aribo despite the fact they are still qualified as British because the hold a british passport. Please lets just forget this guys they are of no good to our National interest.