Gayle told the Mirror: “He’s perceived to be a bit different, but he’s a good lad and a really good friend. It’s his will to win that might make people see him as aggressive. Last weekend, we were in the garden with the lads, and some of their kids are having a kickabout. Then Jonjo joined in and started flying into them with full-on tackles!
“We’ve had a few arguments. I remember in one game he was meant to give the ball back to their keeper and he accidentally booted it out for a throw-in. I was happy for them to throw the ball back to their keeper and get on with it. But he went mad at me, saying, ‘Do you not want to win?’ But that’s just the way he is – desperate to win.
“I am close friends with Jonjo and he was upset he didn’t make it. His range of passes, one touches, and thought process are a lot quicker than other players. And while he is not the biggest guy, you don’t often see him getting pushed off the ball, because he is so forward-thinking in possession. He offers something different to some of the other players in there. He should have been called up. England have missed out there.”