England left-back Lewis Hall could easily have 'buckled' as Man Utd & Chelsea opportunity emerges

Lewis Hall's attitude has been praised after the left-back's slow start to life at Newcastle United now forgotten following his impressive start to the 2024-25 campaign.

The 20-year-old barely featured for Newcastle last season - making only 18 appearances and failing to enjoy a sustained run of games until the final few weeks of the campaign. The Slough-born defender joined from Chelsea on loan in the summer of 2023 in a move that was always set to become permanent.

Toon boss Eddie Howe took the patient approach with Hall, using him sparingly and preferring to focus on work on the training ground - and it's a decision that has seemingly paid off, fast forward five months and Hall is on the verge of his first senior England cap with Greece the opposition on Thursday night.

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Speaking on The Everything is Black and White Podcast, Chronicle Live's John Gibson has heaped praise on Hall for not showing his frustrations over a lack of game time.

"It's almost a great comeback before he's even started. The comeback from signing from Newcastle and disappearing, into suddenly being Newcastle's regular left-back, and in the England squad at 20 years old.

"Now, tell me there's a more romantic story. Tell me there's a bigger Hollywood finish than that. And the boy, it's not the finish of his career, it's the start of his career - so there's so much more to come but it's a wonderful, heart-warming story.

"Well done, Lewis, for getting your head down during that first year here, learning, sticking in, doing the hard work, not spitting the dummy out, not thinking I'm too good to be treated like this.

"He could have easily buckled. There was a long time of hibernation, a full season at Newcastle, and he never said anything because he wasn't in the position, and the club didn't put him forward to saying anything. Eddie Howe said next to nothing. He said the odd thing, or he's progressing, he's learning his trade, et cetera, et cetera. But that was all.

"We were just thinking, is this not going to work out? And it has worked out superbly well and while a lot of credit has got to go to Eddie Howe and his coaching staff, there's also a lot of credit going to Hall. Plenty of players in the past at Newcastle, have buckled or spat the dummy out in situations like that.

"He didn't and good on him. And that's why he's sitting where he is as we talk. That is with the full England squad aboard.”

With England's options limited - Hall is expected to play least one of two of The Three Lions games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland. Manchester United's Luke Shaw hasn't played club football since February while Chelsea's Ben Chilwell has been excluded from the Chelsea first team leaving the door open for Hall not only to get his first senior cap but to also lay down the marker for that left-back position as Gibbo explained.

"What's wonderful from a club and country level is that he's only 20 but he hasn't got a huge amount of opposition for his position. With England, Luke Shaw has become injury prone and Ben Chilwell is out of favour at Chelsea meaning they haven't got a recognised left-back.

"Therefore I would expect Hall to get his first England cap and to come back to Newcastle to play against West Ham as a full England international. He has been consistent all the way through [this seas], and he's looked quite exceptional, and what he's got he deserved, and he's got a wonderful chance, because the one thing England haven't got is left backs."

England face Greece on Thursday evening in Athens before welcoming The Republic of Ireland to Wembley on Tuesday.

You can watch the full episode of Let's Talk About Lewis Hall by clicking here or if you prefer to listen to it on click here.