DEENEY DEFIES BROKEN BONES TO STAKE NEW

TROY DEENEY looked every inch an England footballer at Craven Cottage on Saturday. So powerful. So dominant. So good. Nevertheless, it seems inevitable the Watford striker will never get the chance to play for his country — at least not while Gareth Southgate is in charge. The England manager’s comments during the previous international break were telling, suggesting that although Deeney’s robust style is effective for Watford, it wouldn’t suit the national team’s style. Southgate, in explaining Deeney’s omission from the last squad, was letting the striker down gently. When the England boss names his next one at the end of the month, the 30-year-old should expect disappointment again. Last week, Deeney questioned the England’s manager logic in selecting Danny Welbeck, who has spent most of the season on the bench for Arsenal, over the likes of himself, Danny Ings and Glenn Murray — who are all playing regularly. And on Saturday, the Watford captain gave substance to his claims. Fulham’s defence had no answer to Deeney’s swashbuckling style. Centre back Alfie Mawson — an England hopeful —was hooked at half-time, such was the discomfort he endured at the hands of Deeney and Andre Gray. Mawson’s central defensive partner Calum Chambers was forced to endure a full 90 minutes of torment. Somehow Slavisa Jokanovic’s side still won a point at Craven Cottage, thanks in no small part to Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, who added to his growing reputation with another excellent display. More performances like this, and Bettinelli can expect another call from Southgate for next month’s games against Spain and Croatia squad, following his surprise call-up for the previous squad. But Southgate’s tunnel-vision determination to turn England into pass masters means Deeney shouldn’t expect a similar call. Ben Foster, the Watford goalkeeper who has played for England eight times, thinks that if his captain was at a more fashionable club, things might be different. ‘Yes, maybe an England call would have come by now, to be honest,’ Foster said. ‘But it has always been the way. For the likes of Troy and people like that, they just need to keep going and follow in the footsteps of people like Ricky Lambert, where they weren’t really at a team like that but they still got a chance. ‘I would pick him, he offers a different dimension. ‘Like when Peter Crouch was in the team, he brought a different dimension at the time. That’s what Troy’s got.’ It’s unfortunate for Deeney, who flabbergasted Watford staff by reporting to pre-season training leaner than ever. Deeney dropped almost a stone