sport news Ivan Toney made low key England debut and can't let betting ban define him trends now
Ivan Toney jogged down to the corner flag and stopped to stretch.
He had done this routine countless times but this one was little different; as he loosened his hamstrings, the Brentford striker cast a glance towards Gareth Southgate, hoping to catch his eye.
Every young Sunday League footballer will have understood what was going through Toney's mind. A glance at the clock, then a glance towards the bench, the only thing missing was for him to jog up to Southgate and ask: "Am I coming on soon?"
But Southgate was unmoved. No matter that England were coasting, no matter that Harry Kane had got his customary goal – the head coach wasn't prepared to alter things, even though the game had long since been won.
Southgate represented England 57 times and had to fight for every single cap, so he gets flummoxed by the idea he would just dish them out like sweets as manager.
Ivan Toney finally made his England debut late in Sunday's 2-0 Wembley win over Ukraine
Gareth Southgate imparts some instructions before introducing Toney in the 80th-minute
Toney only touched the ball three times during barely 10 minutes of action against Ukraine
If you thought Toney was being treated harshly, think about Conor Coady, who went to two tournaments and never kicked a ball.
Eventually, however, the time came. Southgate beckoned Toney to his side in the 80th minute, a few instructions were imparted and he was introduced for the captain, becoming the first player from Brentford to represent England since 1939.
Toney would have dreamt of this moment, wearing Three Lions on his chest in front of an 83,000 Wembley crowd, but the reality of his involvement would not have come close to how he would have fantasised it playing out.
'It felt surreal,' he told a TV crew afterwards. 'I couldn't have wished for a better place to do it in front of my family. To finally make it on to the pitch was a massive moment and you have to grab it with both hands.'
He touched the ball three times: twice in the centre circle inside England's half and once 40 yards away from Ukraine's goal.
Toney was left begging for the pass when Jack Grealish shot and missed late on
There was nothing in the penalty area, no chance to show his finishing prowess. When Jack Grealish shot late on, Toney had his arms outstretched begging for a pass.
You wondered at that point, though, when the next opportunity might come – not in terms of a contest that was meandering to its conclusion but for the national team in general, given the threat of a lengthy ban that hangs over him after he
