JUNE 16, STADE BOLLAERT-DELIS, LENS, 2PM
SO, which EnglandEng will turn up in France? Will it be the dynamic side who roared throughthrou qualifying and beat world cham champions Germany 3-2 away in Marc March courtesy of goals from new guns Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Eric D Dier? Or will Roy Ho Hodgson put on his conservativeconser hat and go with his so-called tried and trusted, even though many of th them flopped so woefullywoe at Brazil 2014.2014 WalesW would ce certainly prefer to see the likes o of James Miln ner, Jordan He n d e r s o n , perhaps even Wayne Roon- Paul Abbandonato Head of Sport ey, line up against them than some of the fresher brigade who have lit up the Premier League in 2015-16 The jury is out on Hodgson as boss. Somehow he kept his job despite England having the worst World Cup in their history, but they absolutely breezed past Switzerland, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and San Marino with a 100 per cent winning record to top their qualifying group for these years. A lot has changed during those two years, though, including many pundits and fans even questioning whether Rooney should be in the team any more. It seems inconceivable such doubts should exist against England’s captain and record goalscorer, who helped fire England through qualifying. But a clamour has been growing for some time for a Kane-Vardy partnership to be deployed for the Euros. The more goals they scored as Leicester and Spurs fought it out for the Premier League title, the louder the clamour became. Kane proved definitively that he’s no one-season wonder. Vardy’s scoring record, blinding pace and general pest menace made him player of the season.
In contrast, Rooney had a subdued year for Manchester United and was even playing a much deeper midfield role at the end.
However, you just can’t see Hodgson making such a big call as leaving out his captain, even though Ashley Williams and the Welsh defence won’t fancy one itota coming up against an in-form Vardy.
It’s not just about Kane and Vardy, though. Complications exist amongst a clutch of England players.
How does Hodgson fit the gifted Dele Alli and Ross Barkley into his line-up? What’s gone wrong with Everton’s £30m-rated John Stones?
Why couldn’t Gary Cahill, a Hodgson stalwart, even get into Chelsea’s team until near the end?
Where do the undoubtedly talented, but often injured, Daniel Sturridge and Jack Wilshere fit into the equation?
And what on earth has happened to Raheem Sterling, England’s best player at the World Cup but who looks a shadow of his former Liver- pool self these days.
England are anything but settled and the expectation isn’t as high as in previous years, but they will still once more enter a major finals amid a welter of hype.
Hodgson’s side begin their Pool B campaign against Russia in Marseille, before tangling with Wales in Lens on June 16. They wind up with a match against Slovakia, determined to secure enough points to ensure they go through as group winners, and thus have an easier path through the knockout stages.
As always, there will be trials and tribulations on the way, but it’s make or break time for Hodgson.
His side’s qualifying record was exemplary. Suddenly, the standard of opposition England are about to confront makes it a whole new ball game. Like going straight from League One to the Premier League.
The tried and trusted like Rooney will either see Hodgson’s stock soar... or England will be looking for a new manager come the 2018 World Cup qualifying.