I am not cocky, I am very humble and very relaxed – Callum Hudson-Odoi

Callum Hudson-Odoi was a regular for the Three Lions of England before being called up to the National U21 squad. He turned down invitations to play for the U21 team twice, causing some in the English media to label him ‘arrogant.’

The Chelsea winger has spoken up about why he turned down a chance to play for the U21 team.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Odoi said that he wasn’t being arrogant by declining the call-up and that he merely wanted to focus on being a regular at Chelsea.

“I didn’t not go to England because I thought I was bigger than them or I was being big time or anything like that”.

“It was just me trying to get back into the team in Chelsea and focusing on club football as much as possible: to be a regular player, an option to always play and be involved.

“People thought: “Oh, he’s being big time or arrogant”. Or he’s being somebody he shouldn’t be. I’m not that person at all.”

Hudson-Odoi added: “I’m not big time. I’m not cocky. I’m very humble. I’m very relaxed. I was always thinking to myself: ‘What’s best for me in this moment?’

“For me, it was more of a fact that I wanted to stay back and try to get into the team and work as much as possible and show the manager what I’m capable of.

“I was like: ‘Sit back, don’t make a scene, don’t make any problems with England. I’m good with all the coaches there. I have no problems with any of them. If it [an Under 21 call-up] came again, who knows?” he concluded.