OLLIE WATKINS has broken his silence after being brutally axed by Thomas Tuchel ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
The snub left fans stunned — but the forward responded on the pitch by scoring in Aston Villa‘s 2-0 win over West Ham.
Watkins, 30, admitted he was not shocked to be overlooked for the 35-man latest England squad.
Speaking after the game, Watkins remained composed despite the disappointment.
He said: “Everyone wants to play for their country but I expected that because my form has not been that great.
“I know what I can do and when I put on an England shirt I feel like I have always performed well.”
Tuchel selected two strikers – Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke – to compete with first choice Harry Kane.
Focusing on domestic issues, Watkins said the result was “massive” for Villa heading into the international break.
He told Sky Sports: “Massive for us with it being the last game going into the international break and all the teams around us playing before and them dropping points.
“We knew the job in hand and we have taken it and maximised our opportunity to try and get into the Champions League places.
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“We are happy with that off the back of a bit of poor form. It is one of the best performances we have had this season.”
Villa’s main bagsman sent a powerful reminder to Tuchel with a standout display in Villa’s latest win.
Watkins played a key role as Villa secured a huge victory to boost their Champions League hopes.
The striker doubled his side’s lead in the second half after a strong team performance had already put them in control.
It was the perfect response from a player determined to prove he still belongs on the international stage.
With England spots still up for grabs ahead of the World Cup, every performance is being closely watched.
