Demarai Gray feeling good again after being “held back”
Demarai Gray is feeling good again after being held back for the past 18 months at Leicester City, the winger has revealed in an interview.
Signed from Birmingham City in the January transfer window during Leicester City’s title-winning 2015/16 campaign, Gray’s time at the King Power Stadium has been incredibly frustrating. The young Englishman has made 52 appearances for the Foxes across three seasons, though he has only started a mere 20 of them (six starts this season).
Vocal as always, Demarai Gray has now expressed his disappointment at the lack of playing time under Claudio Ranieri and Craig Shakespeare, saying that he felt “he was held back by the managers”.
The England U-21s international, however, is now optimistic about making it to Gareth Southgate’s England, with Claude Puel showing faith in the young Englishman. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said:
"“Being in and out of the team is not good.“You see the players that are getting selected. A lot of them are playing regular football at their club and we all know what Gareth is about. If you are in good form and doing well at your club, he will put faith in you.‘That is why I felt very disappointed at times because I felt I was being held back by not playing. I know what I’m capable of.“I think with my last few performances I have started to show people what I can do.’“Over the last 18 months I’ve been held back a bit. There were times I felt I could have played, but it was the manager’s decision.“Everything happens for a reason and I think I’ve got through the rough stage. It’s settling now.“Since Puel came in, I feel I’m going to get more chances.”"
There’s still some time to go before Gareth Southgate picks his England squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and Demarai Gray would hope to at least be in the mix for Russia.
While it’s still very unrealistic to think that Gray can make it with all of the experienced options that are currently at the national side’s disposal, you never know what to expect from Southgate, if his recent doings are anything to go by.
Next: Leicester City: The three worst players so far
The 47-year old recently hinted at calling up Demarai Gray (among others) to the England squad if needed, as his side face Brazil on Tuesday at Wembley Stadium. He said:
"“We’ve got some exciting young strikers playing with the under-21s – Solanke, Calvert-Lewin and Gray – and if we think we need cover we might look to call those players up [for the Brazil match]."
We have always talked about Demarai Gray as one of England’s brightest young prospects, and it’s finally looking like everyone would soon be to able see why.