ROUTE ’ 66
Jenas: Spurs gang can be 2016’s equivalent of Hammers heroes
WEST HAM fans like to claim England’s 1966 World Cup triumph as their own after Geoff Hurst’s Wembley hat-trick against West Germany.
Hurst was famously backed up by the rest of the Hammers triumvirate in captain Bobby Moore and fellow scorer Martin Peters.
But Jermaine Jenas believes that if England smash 50 years of hurt in France this summer and win Euro 2016, it could become known as the Tottenham Trophy.
Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson has named five Spurs players in his provisional squad, with Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Danny Rose likely to be certain starters and Eric Dier and Kyle Walker also hoping to make it into the team for the first game against Russia.
And former White Hart Lane favourite Jenas – now a BBC pundit – reckons Tottenham’s contingent could emulate the boys of ’66.
“It’s what people will say because, along with Liverpool, they have the most squad members and also players likely to be in the starting XI,” he said.
“If a miracle does happen and they end up winning this tournament, I’m sure the Spurs fans will turn it into the Tottenham trophy.
“Even if you put Harry Kane aside, there’s the emergence of Dele Alli this year – Roy couldn’t have expected him and Eric Dier to get to the level they have. Last year, we were talking about Dier and not knowing if he was a rightback or centre-back.
“Now, he’s one of the most accomplished holding midfield players.
“And that’s not to mention the fullbacks. I think Roy will start with Nathaniel Clyne. But you can’t look at Spurs and not admire the way they play – and I’m sure Roy will think, ‘How can I get my England team to play almost similar to this?’
“To do that, a lot of them are going to have to be on the pitch, but I think we saw signs of it in the Germany game, links between Danny Rose, Dele Alli and Harry Kane.
“When you’ve got them training with each other day in, day out and playing with each other week in, week out – it helps. Like the relationship Alan Shearer had with Terry Sheringham, they had that telepathic thing of knowing where each one was going to be.
“They feed off each other and it’s the same for this Spurs side. So, it’s perfect for England.” The worry for Jenas is in defence, but he’s confident England can off- set that with their major weapon – counter-attacking speed.
And if he was picking the starting XI, that would mean leaving Wayne Rooney on the bench.
“Over the years, defensively we’ve been pretty strong, but if there is a weak point in our ranks now it is there,” added Jenas.
“But the pace we have got, and the counter-attacking style we can adapt to, makes us dangerous.
“And that is the dilemma with Wayne Rooney. If you play Wayne, you have to change the way you play.
“But to get the best out of Harry Kane and Dele Alli, then for me Rooney doesn’t start.
“If Roy does start with him, I would play him in the hole behind Kane. It’s his best position. But I would prefer to see Dele there now.
“If he doesn’t start, he’ll be seriously disappointed, but he’d have a positive, not a negative, influence on the team.”
The BBC will provide extensive coverage of Euro 2016 across TV, radio and online from Friday, June 10.