Roma director Tiago Pinto says the club cannot accept Gareth Southgate s reasons to leave Tammy Abraham and Chris Smalling out of England s World Cup squad.
The Giallorossi pair had hoped to push for inclusion in the Three Lions 26-man party for Qatar 2022.
Abraham was mooted as a possible understudy for Harry Kane, having scored 27 goals for Roma last season, but after only managing four in 20 appearances in 2022-23 so far, Southgate instead turned to in-form Newcastle United frontman Callum Wilson.
The presence of England regular Harry Maguire too in defence over Smalling, despite limited minutes for Manchester United, has left Pinto fuming.
I cannot accept, both Roma and the representatives of other clubs, that people try to justify international call-ups with what is happening at club level, Pinto told DAZN.
If Tammy is not part of the England squad because he didn t score over the last month, for example, but they called up a player benched for his club yesterday, then Smalling ought to be a starter for England.
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Abraham ultimately paid the price for a drought of form at the wrong time, as Southgate suggested in his squad selection press conference.
Pinto admits there is further growing room for the attacker too, adding: I want to say we are satisfied with Tammy, but always with the perspective that he can still improve, and I am sure he will do.
We re pleased to see our players go to the World Cup, because it is important for them, but I cannot accept that after a call-up there is talk about the way these players work at Roma as justification for a personal choice.
