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Hall has put a testing first season at Newcastle behind him and started the first 11 Premier League games of the campaign for Eddie Howe's side, playing his way to a first senior England call-up for this week's Nations League games against Greece and Ireland. Hall now has a chance to cement himself as the first choice in what has been a problem position for England over recent months. Right-backs have almost exclusively filled in at left-back over the last few months, and Hall had sensed a call-up was coming.
He said: “I think I had a bit of feeling purely because of the lack of out-and-out left-backs that there are in the squad. “There are a few players who can play both sides, left and right, but I was just thinking, ‘If I am playing well for my club that is all I can do’, and then the decision is in the hands of the manager. Obviously I was delighted when he selected me.
“I am still really young, every single time I play for England, no matter what age group, I am really grateful. To be in this camp now is something I am truly grateful for. “Luke Shaw is someone I watched a lot when he played for England and I really like a lot of things he does in his game and he is someone I can, not become because I want to be my own player, but take parts of his game to put into my game and one day I can play regularly for England.
” RECOMMENDED READING: Hall revealed the moment he learnt he'd received his first England call. “I woke up to a text message from the manager saying to give him a call," says the 20-year-old. "He hadn’t called me.
He just texted to say give him a call because I think he expected me to be at the training ground. I gave him a call and he told me the news. I was obviously buzzing.
“I think I had a bit of feeling purely because of the lack of out and out left backs that are in the squad. “There are a few players who can play both sides, left and right, but yes I was just thinking if I am playing well for my club that is all I can do and then the decision is in the hands of the manager.” After the coming two games, Carsley will return to the England Under-21s set-up and Thomas Tuchel will take charge of the senior side - which is likely to be good news for hall.
A 17-year-old Hall was given his first senior appearance by Tuchel in Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Chesterfield in 2022. But Hall says he is a different player now. Asked if Tuchel’s appointment could be good for him, the left-back said: “Potentially.
I think I am a completely different player now. “I think his thinking was, me being a midfielder back then knowing I was comfortable on the ball and knowing we would have a lot of possession, that was the thought behind it. “I am not sure if that means anything now, especially as I feel my game is completely different now to how it was back then.
“He was a good person to me, he gave me my debut and I think without that, wouldn’t have given me the confidence I got when I was younger. “So I’m grateful to him for that but right now I have just got to focus on the manager now, which is Lee Carsley, and I am really enjoying it.” Hall had to be patient in his first season at Newcastle but his persistence and work behind the scenes is now paying off and he's established himself as a key figure for Howe.
Hall said: “Now I am playing at Newcastle I am feeling the love of the club.".
