Harry Redknapp: Gareth Southgate is right to stop chasing players who don’t fancy representing England

No England manager should have to run around convincing players to represent this country. I would not have done it had I got the job and Gareth Southgate is right to only want people who see it as an honour.

A few years ago, the Republic of Ireland became a bit of a joke for chasing players. Then, more recently, Jurgen Klinsmann turns up as manager of the United States and suddenly they discover this rich vein of kids with German heritage who start playing for them.

It obviously depends on the circumstances of each individual. Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha chose the Ivory Coast before meeting with Southgate and for some players, it is a genuinely difficult decision if, say, they moved to England at a young age but have family still in another country who are passionate about their kid representing his roots.

But if we are talking about kids making decisions just based on football reasons, you’d think they would want to compete at the top end of international football. England haven’t looked like winning anything for years but at least we are there competing at the highest level in virtually every tournament, playing in big matches at Wembley year in, year out in front of one of the biggest crowds in the world.

The calendar conflicts or extended travelling for other nationalities don’t apply to England. Like plenty before him, Zaha chose to represent a country that plays in the Africa Cup of Nations every other year and club managers are seeing that competition as a problem more and more. Who wants to lose a player or two for five weeks during one of the busiest parts of the season?

Eligible players who have been here for a few years would, hopefully, know enough about this country and its football traditions to want to play for England. I wouldn’t be chasing them.

Most of the time, I would worry about any kid who takes too long to make a decision like that because you wonder whether they are in it for the right reasons.

And in any case, this whole thing only comes about because people think England don’t have enough decent players but that isn’t the case. Gareth’s last squad was very young and outside of that group, there are other good players in the system already. They just need a chance.

Chelsea beat Tottenham 9-2 over two legs in the FA Youth Cup semi‑final. How many of them will get a chance in the first team? Ruben Loftus-Cheek gets two goals for England’s Under 21s. Great. When is he going to play for Chelsea? It was a few years since he burst on the scene and he’s no further forward now than he was then. He’s 21. He needs to play.

Nathan Ake was recalled from Bournemouth but has barely kicked a ball since.

Physically, these kids can play every week at 18 or 19 but too many managers are afraid. They’d rather play someone more experienced out of position.

The fans love it when you throw a kid in, especially if they are homegrown. Harry Kane is probably the most obvious recent example but Mauricio Pochettino is in a minority of managers prepared to throw them in.

There could be even more kids coming through if coaching at youth team level was better. These kids need someone to believe in them and work with them on the training ground.

Steven Gerrard is involved at Liverpool’s academy and I told him the other day: “Every afternoon, have a chat with the kids. Each one. You will give them such inspiration when you talk to them one-on-one. Ask them how they are doing, what they think we need to work on. Take them for a short drill — just the two of you — working on volleying balls with their left foot, or practising their heading.”

It would only take 15 minutes but that kid would go home feeling a million dollars. I don’t think it happens enough.

Managers need to engage with them more. Every week West Ham were at home when I managed there, me and Frank Lampard Snr would go and watch the youth team at Chadwell Heath. I’d see the first half, the first 15 minutes of the second half and shoot off to Upton Park for the first team.

Modern-day management — and the pressure from many owners — makes that difficult these days but that doesn’t excuse many of them from showing a greater interest in things outside the first team.

Investing time in those kids would probably help the first team. It would certainly help England.