Goal shut Merse up — Andros
ANDROS TOWNSEND admitted he had devoted plenty of thought to his cheeky retaliation against Paul Merson after rescuing a 1-1 draw for England in Italy on Tuesday night.
‘That tweet has been going over in my head,’ said Townsend, who followed up his spectacular equaliser in Turin by hitting Twitter to strike back at criticism from the former Arsenal and England midfielder.
‘As soon at the goal went in, I was just desperate to get that tweet out. I’m eagerly awaiting his response. I haven’t seen it yet.
‘He said when the squad was announced that I should be “nowhere near the squad”. It didn’t really annoy me, but gave me the extra incentive to silence a few critics. Hopefully I’ve done that as I always have.’
Merson had made his comments on Sky Sports when Roy Hodgson named the players for games against Lithuania and Italy. The 1-1 draw in Turin had not long ended when Townsend (below) tweeted to his 285,000 followers: ‘Not bad for a player that should be “nowhere near the squad” ay @PaulMerse?’
The Tottenham winger’s father Troy joined in, too, tweeting: “Oh ye of little faith #Merson get in.’ They could also have pointed out that Townsend’s screamer was his third for England, taking him level with Merson.
‘You can never stop proving things to people,’ said Townsend. ‘But I think every time I’ve put on an England shirt I have done myself justice, I have done Roy Hodgson justice and the nation justice. I was a bit disappointed with his comments but I have come on the pitch and silenced them.’
Good-natured north London Twitter skirmishing aside, there will have been a few Spurs supporters who understood Merson’s point.
Townsend’s form has been inconsistent, and having seen him come off the bench to score for England they will wonder why he cannot do it more often for Tottenham.
‘I can’t put my finger on it or tell you what it is,’ admitted Townsend, when asked about the contrast. ‘The (England) manager has always given me confidence to go and express myself and play my natural game.
‘I wouldn’t say it’s my best form but this is the best form I’ve produced this season. I have had a few injury problems but I’m over the worst of that. I’m slowly building my confidence back to where it was and hopefully from now until the end of the season I can get more games for Spurs and England and get back to the football I was producing last season.’
After long-range goals against Montenegro and San Marino, Townsend enjoyed the one he flashed past Gianluigi Buffon on Tuesday.
It came from his weaker, right foot, against elite opposition and he made a beeline for Buffon after the match to ask for his shirt as a souvenir.
‘He is a top goalkeeper — one of the best to ever play the game — so to score past him I thought was no mean feat,’ said Townsend.
‘As soon as the whistle went, I thought I’d go and get his shirt because it is a real night to savour for me.’