Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner has expressed confidence that Morgan Gibbs-White can work his way back into the England national team setup.
The attacking midfielder failed to secure a place in England’s World Cup squad this summer, despite enjoying a prolific finish to last season with Forest. He featured on Thomas Tuchel’s extended 55-player shortlist for the tournament but ultimately missed out on selection.
There appears to have been no lasting impact from that disappointment on the 24-year-old’s form as he prepares for the new season. With the 2028 European Championship due to be staged across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, Gibbs-White has an additional motivation to catch the attention of the England hierarchy once more.
Glasner revealed that he and Gibbs-White have not discussed the World Cup snub, considering the matter closed. He believes the player’s focus should be on the continental championship being held on home soil in two years’ time, suggesting Gibbs-White has ample opportunity to prove his credentials and that he fully expects the forward to represent England at that tournament.
The Austrian coach confirmed that Gibbs-White will retain a pivotal position within Forest’s plans under his leadership. A tactical adjustment involving a switch to a three-man defensive line, rather than the previous four-man system, is not expected to diminish the player’s capacity to contribute goals and assists.
Gibbs-White has already signalled his belief that he can flourish within this new setup. Glasner, for his part, is optimistic that the number ten can surpass the heights he reached previously.
Glasner noted that achieving 15 Premier League goals from a midfield position represents an outstanding return and praised the player’s desire to improve further. He emphasised the importance of avoiding complacency after a successful campaign and continuing to push for greater contributions in both scoring and creating opportunities. The manager explained that work on the training ground focuses on positioning Gibbs-White to maximise his effectiveness in these areas, with early indications from pre-season fixtures suggesting the approach is already yielding results. The coaching staff aim to maintain numerical presence in attacking areas while preserving defensive solidity during transitions.
Glasner outlined his philosophy of supporting players by highlighting areas for development, whether in positioning, finishing or movement patterns that create scoring chances. He acknowledged that Gibbs-White, like any player, has aspects of his defensive work that can be refined, particularly in terms of concentration following several seasons of established habits. The objective is to ensure he finds himself in promising shooting positions when possession is recovered, with less defensive pressure and in more favourable circumstances. These insights are shared with all squad members as part of an individualised development programme tailored to each player’s requirements, with the understanding that different players benefit from different approaches.
Gibbs-White will continue to serve as one of Forest’s captains this season, sharing leadership duties with club captain Ryan Yates. Glasner views the presence of multiple influential figures within the squad as essential to the team’s success.