Ronald Koeman has told Ryan Bertrand to remain patient after another England snub from Roy Hodgson.

Despite the Three Lions boss naming a whopping three left backs in his squad to face Lithuania and Italy, and Bertrand statistically being the best in the country this season, the Saints man was overlooked once more.

Instead, Luke Shaw, Leighton Baines and Kieran Gibbs are all in a squad that also contains Saints duo Nathaniel Clyne and Fraser Forster.

It is a frustration for 25-year-old Bertrand who has made no secret of his desire to play for his country again after winning his only two England caps in 2012.

“Not surprised,” said Koeman of the news.

“He had suspension maybe for three games, after that he came back to the team and playing well, and played very well against Chelsea, but not surprise.

“His time will come.

“If he keeps working like this, keep playing like this, then I believe one day he will get that call by the national team.”

The key for Bertrand is to attempt not to let it get to him.

After a fine season for Saints, in which he has sealed a permanent £10m switch from Chelsea, he would be entirely justified in feeling hard done by.

But Koeman insists that Bertrand should take heart from teammate Jose Fonte.

“Difficult I don’t know, because he is still a young player,” reflected Koeman.

“If you look to the case of Jose Fonte, his first call he get five months ago when he was 30 years. Sometimes you need to be patient and the best what you can do is play good for your team and for the club and that’s the most important, and keep working.

“In that position I don’t see a lot of other players who can expect a call from the national team on his position – maybe two, three players. It is not a lot of competition. But, for sure, if he continues like this then one day he will get that call.”

The England squad, which sees a senior call-up for Harry Kane and the exclusion of Rickie Lambert, a decision likely to spell the end of his international career, contains one Saints full back in the shape of Clyne.

Daily Echo: Nathaniel Clyne

Nathaniel Clyne

However, Koeman is still no nearer a decision on Clyne’s future, with the right back’s current deal set to have just one year left to run at the end of the current campaign.

“No, I asked Les Reed and he is still talking about the new contract and there isn’t any update now for that,” admitted Koeman.

“I think he has left one year contract and, ok, of course we like to know it, what he like to do, but that’s the contact between Les Reed, but there is no update about that.”

Meanwhile, James Ward-Prowse and Matt Targett have been called up for the England under-21s and Harrison Reed, Jack Stephens and Jordan Turnbull for the under-20s.

England squad: J Hart (Manchester City), F Forster (Southampton); L Baines (Everton), G Cahill (Chelsea), N Clyne (Southampton), K Gibbs (Arsenal), P Jagielka (Everton), P Jones (Manchester United), L Shaw (Manchester United), C Smalling (Manchester United), K Walker (Tottenham); R Barkley (Everton), M Carrick (Manchester United), F Delph (Aston Villa), J Henderson (Liverpool), A Lallana (Liverpool), J Milner (Manchester City); R Sterling (Liverpool), A Townsend (Tottenham), T Walcott (Arsenal), H Kane (Tottenham), W Rooney (Manchester United), D Sturridge (Liverpool), D Welbeck (Arsenal).