Southgate To Hold Crunch Talks Over Maguire’s Greek Crisis
The Football Association will hold crunch talks on Monday over how to manage Harry Maguire’s Greek crisis.
England manager Gareth Southgate, as he routinely does with his senior players, is expected to contact Maguire ahead of Tuesday’s squad announcement.
But discussions with the Manchester United captain will take on far more significance after allegations he was involved in a fight on the Greek island of Mykonos during the early hours for Friday morning, leading to Maguire being arrested and charged.
Maguire’s trial is set for Tuesday and it is understood the player’s legal camp believe they have a strong case as they try to clear their client’s name after he pleaded not guilty to charges.
The saga has raised questions over Maguire’s inclusion in Southgate’s squad which will be named on Tuesday, the England manager’s first in 10 months.
Maguire would normally be one of the first names on Southgate’s list. But the fact he is now at the centre of legal proceedings following accusations of violent altercations with other revellers and police officers has left question marks over his inclusion.
FA chiefs will discuss the issue as they figure out how to approach the delicate scenario, with the key question being whether Maguire should be selected.
Sportsmail understands that prior to last week’s events, Southgate had planned to significantly restrict Maguire’s involvement for next month’s UEFA Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark.
The defender played the most football out of anyone in the Premier League last season – completing a staggering 5,502 minutes. That may influence how Southgate and the FA decide to deal with the situation over the next 48 hours.
The Three Lions boss wants to select a strong squad given this will be the first time he has seen his players since November. The FA will also consider the potential for next week’s camp being the focus for more scrutiny than usual if Maguire is selected given it would likely be the first time he is seen in public.
Maguire, it is understood, will look to keep a low profile in the coming days with his representatives remaining silent until after Tuesday’s court case. He was told he could return back to the UK over the weekend, but there has been no confirmation over whether the 27-year-old has returned home.
Maguire is accused of assaulting local police officers after his 20-year-old sister, Daisy, was assaulted and injured with a sharp object according to Greek media. It is understood that the police attending the scene were dressed in plain clothes and not easily identifiable as officers.
One source has said that initial accusation of bribery has now been dropped and that Maguire was simply attempting to pay an on the spot fine to deal with the situation.
Maguire denied all allegations though he made a statement of apology to the court on Saturday. Maguire had been staying on Mykonos with his fiancee Fern Hawkins and their children as well as other family members.