Ollie Watkins feels omission from March England camp was ‘blessing in disguise’

Ollie Watkins believes his omission from England’s March camp was a “blessing in disguise”.

The Aston Villa striker’s hopes of going to the World Cup looked to be in tatters when he did not make Thomas Tuchel’s squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

But he responded in style, with a brilliant run of 11 goals in 12 games helping Villa to Europa League glory and a top-four finish in the Premier League.

He said: “To be fair, before the March camp, I had started to pick up my form. I scored an important goal and had some big performances against Lille in the round of 16.

“So my form was starting to pick up, I think it was a blessing in disguise. Sometimes, when something gets taken away from you, you realise how important it is, and it gives you that fire in your belly to come back and show people what you can do.

“The manager always had faith in me. So, it is nice I could repay him with the performances and goals and to show I deserved to be here.

“I felt in the big moments, when the team needed me, I stepped up and came up with some big goals and some big performances.”

It was the perfect end to the season for the 30-year-old, who hopes Villa’s Europa League success can provide the platform for more glory this summer.

“It’s been a long time since the club had brought back a trophy, and we did that,” he said. “You know, 44 years, fans have been waiting for that a long time, and obviously we succeeded, and it’s an amazing feeling to do that.

“To come into the England camp off the back of a strong end of the season, and winning a trophy, there’s nothing better.

“I think everything that I had pictured, really, and imagined is coming to play.

“Physically I’m the best I’ve ever been, and obviously my form as well in