FORMER Saints player and James Ward-Prowse’s academy coach Jason Dodd worries for the midfielder’s England career and says “if it was going to come, it would be now.”

Ward-Prowse was part of manager Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for the delayed 2020 European Championship but didn’t make the final cut, even after Trent Alexander-Arnold had to pull out through injury.

Southgate’s selections proved successful though as the team reached a first major men’s international final since 1966, before penalty defeat against Italy under the Wembley arch.

However, many felt the Saints centre-mid was hard-done by to miss out and Dodd thinks he would have still offered something different to the squad.

Ward-Prowse, 26, missed Saints' pre-season campaign due to a minor knee injury but returned to start the opening day defeat at Everton. He has since also played the full 90 against both Manchester United and Newcastle, continuing his run of two seasons without missing a Premier League minute.

Despite this, Ward-Prowse was again overlooked by Southgate for the latest England squad and will play no part in tonight's World Cup qualifier against Hungary.

England's central midfield options instead include Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Jordan Henderson.

Dodd told the Daily Echo: “Don’t get me wrong, there’s some wonderful players in the England squad.

“But James gives you something different, and I’m not just talking about his set plays as I’m sure he gets frustrated with just being referred to as a set-piece specialist.

“There’s a lot of other things in his game of the highest quality.

“If it was going to come, it would be now. He can’t do any more, what more can he do to get in the England side?”

Ward-Prowse scored eight goals and registered seven assists during the 2020-21 Premier League season, even as Saints slumped to 15th in the division – only ex-striker Danny Ings scored more.

The Saints skipper was afforded his Three Lions debut by Southgate in 2017, and has earned eight caps since, scoring his solitary England goal at Wembley against San Marino in March 2021.

But during the European Championship, centre-midfielders Rice and Phillips started every game with bench option and Liverpool captain Henderson clearly leaving little-to-no room for the likes of the St Mary’s favourite, in the view of those from the technical area.

Dodd oversaw the development of Ward-Prowse from the age of 16 in Saints’ academy, as the midfielder impressed in the same cohort as current England star Luke Shaw.

He added: “Having played at the top level of the game, we (Dodd and Paul Williamson) knew what it took to get there.

“We had a really good batch so we were lucky but with me and Willo, having been there and had different experiences, we were able to rely on those for the boys.

“Luckily, a few of these lads are in the first team and we challenged them, we challenged them every day. It’s installing discipline and ethics, what they want to get out of it.

“But it’s not just about those in the Premier League, there’s lots of lads who have had a career in football, not just the top guys. That was one of the things we wanted, it’s very difficult to be a Premier League player but if you’ve got a career in football that’s a success.”

Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl was also saddened to see his star man miss out on the Euros, having scored 21 of his 31 Premier League total goals since the Austrian gaffer’s arrival.

He told BBC Radio Solent: “Definitely, it was hard to watch the games.

“There was a lot of times and situations with a free-kick around the box and I don’t know if I wouldn’t have him on the bench.

“Not only his free-kicks but he deserves it for the way he plays football in the middle of the pitch. But the English team did well and it’s a pity they didn’t take the title there.

“Overall it was absolutely fantastic to have fans back in the stadium and see the pictures of them celebrating, to understand why we are doing this job and working hard to have this feeling.”