Five-star attack as Roy goes for broke
BUT IT’S AGONY FOR TOWNSEND AND DRINKWATER WHO MISS CUT
MARCUS Rashford began this season on the bench for Manchester United’s Under 21 side against Rochdale in the Lancashire Senior Cup.
Yesterday the 18-year- old was called into a meeting room at the England team hotel in Watford and told by manager Roy Hodgson that he would be going to this summer’s European Championship.
No wonder assistant coach Gary Neville was telling members of the FA staff that Hodgson’s 23-man party is the boldest England squad he has been associated with — as player or coach.
After being at the helm for two tournaments, the second of which ended after only five days and two defeats in Brazil, Hodgson has decided to abandon any thoughts of a more cautious, conservative approach and go for it in France.
Rashford was understood to be the last name on the list, forcing his way into Hodgson’s plans after scoring only 138 seconds into his stunning international debut against Australia in Sunderland last Friday. The teenage striker from Wythenshawe, who broke into the United first team only in February, has simply proved impossible to resist.
But it is the fact that, ultimately, Rashford goes at the expense of Danny Drinkwater that best illustrates the manager’s mindset. Rather than have extra cover in an already heavily-populated midfield, he has opted for a fifth striker in the belief that any defensive deficiencies hindering this current generation of England players can be overcome with a more offensive style of play. A simple case of trying to outscore the opposition.
The decision to take both Rashford and Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge gives Hodgson options — a potentially devastating alternative to Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Wayne Rooney if circumstances demand drastic change.
Hodgson will be looking to a player of Kane’s predatory instincts to emulate the greats of Europe’s past — and perhaps even match the five goals Alan Shearer struck to make him the leading scorer at Euro 96. But with five strikers on the plane there really should be no shortage of England goals, even if concerns remain about the team’s vulnerability at the back.
With an average age of 25 years and 299 days, this squad is the youngest England have sent to a European Championship — and second only to the 1958 World Cup squad in major tournament history — and Hodgson hopes the boldness of youth will see England prosper.
Rooney is one of only four 30-plus players in the squad and as the only survivor of the once- heralded ‘golden generation’, will appreciate how much England have evolved.
Back in 2010 Fabio Capello took a squad with an average age of over 28 to the World Cup. Hodgson will be heading to France with the youngest party of the 24 nations.
Whether he has the balance right, only time will tell. England certainly look light at the back and Eric Dier’s own goal against Australia did little to ease anxieties caused by the fact that he must offer cover for just three centre halves and serve as a defensive midfielder.
While medical staff have assured Hodgson that Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson are fit, along with Sturridge, they remain two players only just returning from serious injury. If Drinkwater has cause for complaint, he need only point to his club season compared to Wilshere’s — 3,032 minutes in a title-winning Leicester side versus 142 minutes for Arsenal.
Wilshere is a special talent, of course, and Hodgson hopes he will set the tempo from midfield for a fast, fluent passing game.
But, typically, England go into a tournament with players weakened by the rigours of a hard domestic season as well as lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Having played in all 38 of Everton’s Premier League matches, Ross Barkley has looked sluggish in recent weeks. As a result he was among the three or four players who spent the weekend sweating on their place.
But again Hodgson has gone with raw ability over form — Barkley’s inclusion coming at the expense of Andros Townsend. The Newcastle winger might well feel his efforts far outshone those of the Everton youngster against Australia.
That, however, ignores the fact that Barkley, like Wilshere, is an outstanding talent. There is good reason why someone of Xavi’s expertise recognises Barkley and Wilshere as players capable of slotting into a Barcelona team — and this is not lost on Hodgson. Perhaps Drinkwater and Townsend see it too, which is why they were respectful and professional when summoned, individually, to Hodgson’s hotel room yesterday afternoon. Drinkwater wished Hodgson all the best and, to his credit, then said as much on Twitter after being told he had not made the final cut. There was certainly no repeat of 1998, when Paul Gascoigne trashed Glenn Hoddle’s hotel room after being axed.
Hodgson handled a situation he said would give him a sleepless night as best he could.
After asking all the players to train at 10.30am — with Ryan Bertrand alone in sitting out the session — the squad returned to the hotel where a buffet lunch was served.
It was then, as players came and went, that Drinkwater and Townsend were called to Hodgson’s room. Both were then given enough time to say their farewells before leaving the hotel.
Only then did Hodgson call his chosen ones into a meeting room. They were first informed of Drinkwater and Townsend’s departure before being told that they had been selected and given their squad numbers.
Hodgson did his utmost to accommodate the more superstitious members of his party and Sturridge, until the last few days a serious doubt for France, was delighted to receive the No 15 he wears at Liverpool.