BEN GIBSON’S hopes of a maiden England call-up have been boosted by Gareth Southgate’s appointment as interim manager of the national team, with the former Under-21s boss a long-standing cheerleader for the Middlesbrough centre-half.

Southgate was installed as Sam Allardyce’s temporary successor on Tuesday evening, and will take charge of this month’s World Cup qualifying double-header against Malta and Slovenia as well as next month’s qualifier with Scotland and a friendly against Spain.

Allardyce had been due to name his squad for the Malta and Slovenia games on Sunday, and Southgate is expected to stick to the same timetable.

Gibson had been touted as a possible inclusion in this weekend’s squad, with senior FA sources having suggested the defender was one of the players under particularly close scrutiny in the opening weeks of the season.

It remains to be seen whether Southgate sticks with the plans that had been formulated by Allardyce, but if the former Middlesbrough boss is to look for a change in his defensive ranks, Gibson is likely to figure prominently in his thoughts.

The pair worked closely throughout Gibson’s time in the Under-21 set-up, with Southgate rating the 23-year-old highly. Southgate awarded Gibson his Under-21 debut in the first leg of the 2015 European Championships qualifying play-off with Croatia, and went on to name the Teessider in his starting line-up for all three matches at last summer’s finals.

Speaking to The Northern Echo about Gibson at the time, Southgate said: “Ben has really developed as a player and a natural leader within our group, and is a mainstay of the team.

“He really is an impressive young man. He was probably 14 or 15 when I was here (at Middlesbrough) and taking that age group training, and you knew even then that he had an outstanding character.

“He’s become a very good defender and pretty much a mainstay in the Boro side. Given the players who have come in and that he is competing against, that is testimony to his development and the way he is playing.”

The Northern Echo:

Gibson’s chances of making the squad for the Malta and Slovenia games could hinge on the number of centre-halves Southgate decides to name in his group.

Gary Cahill, John Stones, Phil Jagielka and Chris Smalling were the centre-halves selected by Allardyce ahead of last month’s 1-0 win in Slovakia, and provided they remain fit, it is hard to imagine Southgate dropping any of the quartet.

However, he could opt to name an additional defender, and Gibson would have a good chance of getting the nod ahead of Scott Dann, Ryan Shawcross and Michael Keane, other uncapped centre-halves who have been put forward as potential England contenders.

Alternatively, Southgate could look further ahead and select Gibson in the squad for the November matches against Scotland and Spain, with a view to involving him in the latter game, which is only a friendly.

Gibson would relish the chance of becoming reunited with Southgate, having recently described the former Boro skipper as his all-time footballing idol.

“I’ve always said Gareth Southgate was my favourite player,” said Gibson. “When he was captain, and we used to win a big game, I used to love it when he used to punch to the East, South, North and West Stands. That was my era – I used to wait for it.

“The whole crowd would wait there celebrating, it was a real togetherness and he was the leader. I just envied him and thought I would love to be that person doing that. He was a leader and looked a nice bloke, and since I’ve gone on to meet him, I’ve learned that he is that person.

“One of my biggest regrets was when we didn’t do well in the Under-21s (at last summer’s European Championships). I felt I’d let him down.”