Aaron Ramsdale praised Harry Maguire for his continued “outstanding” England displays as the under-fire defender blocks out unrelenting criticism and scrutiny.
The world’s most expensive defender was named in the Euros team of the tournament in 2021, but game time and form at Manchester United have dropped off since then.
Gareth Southgate has stuck by Maguire and brought him on at half-time in Tuesday’s 3-1 friendly win over Scotland, during which he was mocked mercilessly by the Hampden Park crowd before scoring an own goal.
![Harry Maguire](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/268e887e5657afa46764b93e70479d43Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0Njg2MDEy/2.73703430.jpg?w=640)
Furious Southgate believes the reaction was as a result of wider “ridiculous” criticism of the defender, which he called “a joke” and said was “beyond anything I’ve ever seen”.
England fans backed Maguire and chanted his name in Glasgow, with team-mates like goalkeeper Ramsdale also offering support to the oft-criticised centre-back.
“Harry Maguire has had criticism for the past 18 months, two years,” he said. “It hasn’t affected him.
“His performances for England have been nigh on outstanding, that’s why he keeps getting picked and played. Simple as that.
“I don’t think a few whistles and groans from the fans are going to change his mindset.
“He had 45 minutes in a game where I thought he played well, kept the ball for us and one unfortunate own goal, if you want to call it that, and people are going to start talking about him and I don’t think it’s needed.”
Ramsdale said Maguire was “superb when he came on” and had no issues with his “really unfortunate” own goal.
“People will say he’s come on and scored an own goal, but if he has any doubt in his mind, I want my defender to try to clear it,” the Arsenal goalkeeper said.
“It’s a cross-shot, he’s tried to deal with it and eight times out of 10 it goes behind for a corner or he clears it.
“Every time he touched the ball the crowd got up and made noises and he dealt with it extremely well, played some lovely passes.
“I thought he accompanied Lewis (Dunk) and rest of the back four really well. Yeah, I’d want him to do that again 10 times over.”
Ramsdale won just his fourth England cap on Tuesday evening and was grateful for Maguire then, just as he has been since making his debut behind him in November 2021.
![Aaron Ramsdale](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/0b99af9d02d99fe2c24fb464836433e9Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0Njg2MTEx/2.73704237.jpg?w=640)
“He talks you through the game,” he said. “I remember that from my first cap.
“It was San Marino and obviously we won 10-0, but he talked me through the whole game, calmed me down at times and he did the same (against Scotland).
“So, it’s a real dream to play with him and, as I said, it’s just an unfortunate goal that people are going to highlight and it doesn’t need to be that way.”
But Ramsdale knows that everything is pored over in minute detail with England, whether it is Maguire’s selection, Phil Foden’s role or Southgate’s approach.
The team may also be under the microscope, but Ramsdale says that has helped to cultivate a special mentality within the group.
“You’re playing for England,” he said. “It’s the most scrutinised team in the world, I personally think.
Love it, Rammers! 🧤 pic.twitter.com/ywWIVqbrTC
— England (@England) September 12, 2023
“We’ve got so many good players, a pool of players, and everyone will have a different opinion on who should be playing and who shouldn’t be playing.
“I think that’s what makes us so strong as a group, the fact that we can brush things off and use the noise as outside noise and listen to ourselves.”
Put to Ramsdale that is easier said than done, he said: “Exactly, but two years ago we were playing in a European final and then we went to the World Cup and could have done a bit better in different circumstances and played against a good team in France.
“We’re so close to qualifying again and this group has been together so long and we’ve got such a great connection.
“Like you said, it’s easier said than done, but it’s one of the top qualities this group has, that it sticks together and block out any noise that we don’t want to hear.”
I’ve long wondered why Harry Maguire gets so much abuse and I’m pleased Gareth Southgate has said what he’s said. I don’t know him that well personally but he’s a very good player and he appears to be a decent person. He’s never let England down yet he seems to be ridiculed…
— Michael Owen (@themichaelowen) September 13, 2023
Former England striker Michael Owen also defended the under-fire United centre-back, questioning the reasons for any criticism.
“I’ve long wondered why Harry Maguire gets so much abuse and I’m pleased Gareth Southgate has said what he’s said,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I don’t know him that well personally but he’s a very good player and he appears to be a decent person. He’s never let England down yet he seems to be ridiculed constantly. Very sad.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here