CALLUM WILSON is ready to play a supporting role with England at the World Cup finals – but insists he is more than capable of stepping up to lead the line if required.

Wilson was part of the 26-man England squad that flew to Qatar yesterday ahead of Monday’s Group B opener against Iran.

The Newcastle United striker accepts he is likely to find himself on the substitutes’ bench when things get under way next week, with Gareth Southgate certain to pick Harry Kane as his central striker provided the England skipper stays fit.

Wilson’s main involvement is likely to come as a substitute, and he is determined to be a positive presence in and around the team camp. However, he also insists he is ready to make the most of whatever opportunities come his way, and is capable of being England’s main attacker if circumstances dictate a change of plan.

“Harry’s an unbelievable player and he’s the England captain as well,” said Wilson, who has recovered from the illness that restricted his involvement with Newcastle in the last couple of weeks. “He’s going to be the first choice on most people’s team sheets, so I know my role.

“I’m not deluded enough to think I’m going to go the World Cup and I’m going to be competing and playing every game. Tournament football is different to league football, you are going to have to manage load, see games out in a different style, so I feel there will be an opportunity there and when it does (happen), I’ll be ready to take it with both hands.”

Wilson’s place in the squad was in the balance until the final moment, with Southgate having assessed a number of different options before deciding to go with the 30-year-old.

The Northern Echo: Callum Wilson scored on his international debut against the United StatesCallum Wilson scored on his international debut against the United States

Ivan Toney, Tammy Abraham and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were all omitted from the squad despite having featured in various camps over the course of the last 12 months, with Wilson getting the nod despite the most recent of his four senior international caps having come back in October 2019.

Like the rest of England’s squad members, he spent last Thursday morning pondering his fate, with Southgate understandably prioritising his conversations with the players that had missed out ahead of his chats with those heading to Qatar.

“I came in from the training ground and the lads were like, ‘Cal, have you not heard anything, It should be time?’ said Wilson. “Tripps (Kieran Trippier) is sitting there smiling so I’m thinking, he must have had a message. I had nothing.

“Obviously, I pressed my phone, but I don't have my WhatsApp notifications coming up. That day, I did put them on. I had a few WhatsApp notifications there, but none of them was from anyone who’s part of the England set up. I was like, ‘Ah, you've got nothing on there’.

“Obviously, I've gone onto the archive. You know it's been a long time since I've been in the squad. The archive message was there, so I was happy. In the end, I got told before it was allowed to be announced so I just kind of kept a straight face. The lads were like, ‘You're not really smiling, you’re not really disappointed’, so I was like, ‘We’ll see, we’ll see’.”

In the end, Wilson’s recent form proved decisive, with his three goals in back-to-back matches against Tottenham and Aston Villa effectively securing his place.

Newcastle’s number nine was always confident he would be World Cup bound, even when an untimely hamstring injury forced him onto the sidelines in the first half of the season.

“Funnily enough, I was going through my diary the other day, and I was just going through this week because I hadn't been in there for probably a few months,” said Wilson, who was speaking on the Footballer’s Football Podcast. “I’d actually written on today’s date (Sunday 13th) -  ‘Pack for Qatar’.

“This was probably four months ago I’d written this. I just feel the power of visualisation, that positive affirmations you give with it, all that law of attraction stuff. Yeah, I literally wrote pack for Qatar.

“Everyone was saying to me, this would have been four weeks ago, ‘Where (are) you going into winter break?’. Blah, blah, I’d say ‘Qatar’. They must think, ‘Is this guy deluded? He ain’t scored in three games, is this guy crazy?’

“Honestly, I’m going to Qatar. That was it. I set my mind to it, to a goal, and I’m so proud of myself. This is just the start, I’m reintegrated back into the squad, but I don’t want that just to be the World Cup squad and that be it.”