Resurgent Shaw expresses 'massive regrets' over England mistakes

By Sports Desk March 30, 2021

Luke Shaw has spoken of his "massive regrets" over withdrawing from England squads in the past as the in-form left-back attempts to make up for lost time.

Manchester United defender Shaw made his first international appearance since September 2018 in the Three Lions' 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Albania on Sunday, setting up the opening goal for Harry Kane.

Shaw made his debut back in 2014, but won only his ninth cap in Tirana as Gareth Southgate's side made it two Group I victories out of two.

The 25-year-old has struggled with injuries since joining United from Southampton but is making a strong case to be England's first-choice left-back when Euro 2020 gets under way in June.

Shaw thought he may have blown his chances of representing England again and is determined to grasp his opportunity.

He said: "My family [and I] had a few discussions and thought that maybe I won’t be able to get back into it [the England squad].

"But deep down I always believed that I could and I worked hard, and gladly Gareth's given me another chance. Hopefully I can just impress him and stake my claim to be in the squad.

"I had a few massive regrets. I couldn't stop thinking of the mistakes I'd made in the past, especially with England. I pulled out of a lot of camps around that time. I was maybe not in the best sort of condition.

"I think over the last two years I've thought about it so much that that was my biggest regret, and yeah of course letting Gareth down.

"I tried to keep in touch with him to just to let him know that things have changed. He said he's picked me on merit and how I've been performing. The past is the past and hopefully we've forgotten about that now and can just focus on the future and I want to keep impressing him."

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