---
title: "Hayden wants England call-up – is he good enough?"
canonical: "https://readnewcastle.com/2019/09/09/hayden-wants-england-call-up-is-he-good-enough/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Emery"
section: "Feature Writers"
published: "2019-09-09T20:00:49Z"
modified: "2019-09-09T20:00:49Z"
---

# Hayden wants England call-up – is he good enough?

Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden has revealed that he wants to break into the England set-up and that it is something he thinks about.

The former Arsenal man says that he knows the competition ahead of him is fierce, but he is continuing to work hard for a potential opportunity.

[Speaking to The Chronicle,](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/isaac-hayden-admits-ambition-play-16886236) Hayden said this:

> I do think about it (playing for England).

> Unfortunately, for me, I’ve got Jordan Henderson, Liverpool captain and Champions League winner, who in the last couple of years has really stepped up his game to the levels where he is now.

> Then you’ve obviously also got Declan Rice, who’s 20, and who has quit the Ireland, so it’s difficult to leave him out.

> It’s difficult for me to get in there, but I think the most important thing for me is to just keep playing the games I’m doing. If I’m playing the games and performing to the required level, then if I get in, I get in. If not, I’ll carry on playing and working.

![Mark Runnacles/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readnewcastle.com/readnewcastle/sites/20/2019/09/1171322557.jpg)

### READ NEWCASTLE VERDICT

Is Hayden good enough to play for England?

To answer that you have to look at the quality of the players he would have to play ahead of. In his case, Declan Rice. Whilst Hayden is a solid player for Newcastle in midfield, Rice has been exceptional for West Ham in the last 12 months or so.

The West Ham star has averaged a rating of 6.96/10 on [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/332325/Show/Declan-Rice) this season, compared to Hayden’s 6.88. This shows that Hayden is performing well, but not at the same level as Rice, which means that he is right to be ahead of him in the pecking order at international level.

Hayden will need to progress and improve his performances at club level if he wants to be in with a shot of breaking into Gareth Southgate’s squad.