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Morgan Gibbs-White promised he is deadly serious about his England career despite the 'silly' and 'stupid' viral video filmed to accompany his belated call-up.
Gibbs-White's fiancée Britney de Villiers posted the light-hearted clip of the couple miming to a High School Musical song on social media after Thomas Tuchel summoned the Nottingham Forest captain from his family holiday in Dubai.
'It was just me and my missus having a bit of banter, we do it all the time,' explained 26-year-old Gibbs-White. 'We were just trying to make a bit of light out of a situation that was difficult for her and the kids, but she completely understood.
'She made light of it. We always do silly, stupid stuff like that, and it's just us being funny together, and in a good relationship.'
Gibbs-White was called up when five players including Cole Palmer and Marcus Rashford withdrew from Tuchel's original squad.
'I got to the hotel around eight o'clock Dubai time and then two hours later got a text message,' he said. 'I spent more time on the plane than I did in Dubai. But playing for my country comes first, 100 per cent.
Morgan Gibbs-White starred in a TikTok video with his fiancee Britney De Villiers after his emergency England call-up
'There was no question in my mind. No debate whether to come. It's an honour to represent your country, whether it's for 10 minutes or sitting on the bench.'
He appeared as a substitute against Spain on Saturday and the Czech Republic on Tuesday to take his tally of England caps to eight with Tuchel using him off the left as new Forest boss Oliver Glasner has done this season.
'I don't mind it,' said Gibbs-White. 'At club level, the manager tells me to just have that free role. I can come inside, stay out wide. If I want, go all the way to the other side. So, it's about that freedom and creativity that I love and think I'm quite good at.
'Here [with England] it's more structured. You have a role, you have a position, you do it. Obviously, the games might be different in different moments, so you might need to do different things.'
His attitude should stand him in good stead as Tuchel builds his squad for this Nations League campaign and learns who he can trust with an eye on the Euros on home soil in 2028.
'That is the goal, you know, a home Euros,' said Gibbs-White. 'The only thing we have in our mindset is to win it.'
Source: Sport
