Hodgson urges England’s Euro 2016 hopefuls to seize their chance
ROY Hodgson, the England manager, has challenged his players to lay down a marker in the coming friendlies as he warned those looking to dictate the shape of his 23-man squad that he will not bow down to fan pressure.
A friendly double-header against World Cup holders Germany in Berlin on Saturday and Holland at Wembley on Tuesday comes as Hodgson begins to finalise his plans for who will make the cut for Euro 2016 in France.
With captain Wayne Rooney, firstchoice goalkeeper Joe Hart, Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshere, Phil Jones, Ryan Bertrand, Luke Shaw and Fabian Delph all missing out through injury this time, there are opportunities opening up for players who may have been facing a summer holiday rather than competitive action.
Danny Rose and Danny Drinkwater could make their debuts in tonight’s clash in Germany, while there are a number of other players looking to assure themselves of a place in the reckoning.
“We will have three more before the final squad is selected,” he said. “It is by no means a be-all and end-all situation but at the the same time we take the game very seriously and I shall learn some important lessons I’m sure.
“I can’t guarantee that every single player will get 90 minutes in a game but, at the same time, in principle we are going to utilise the whole squad and at least give people the chance, in these final encounters before I have to name the 23, to put a marker down.”
Drinkwater’s inclusion comes as he helps to keep Leicester top of the Barclays Premier League table, but upset a number of fans who believe West Ham captain Mark Noble has been producing a similar standard over a longer period. The 28-year-old conceded on Thursday, ahead of his Hammers testimonial, that his chances of making the Euro 2016 squad were “very slim” and Hodgson did nothing to counter those comments.
Instead, Hodgson said that being told he is not picking the right players is something that comes with the territory of managing a national side – comparing the furore to that for public calls for then-Norwich striker Grant Holt to be capped after some impressive displays for the Canaries.
“The fact is there are always two or three players that are in the news that many people would like to be selected or are better than the players I have selected, that is the nature of my job,” he added. “I have said on many occasions that I refuse to close doors and I refuse to rule people out. Having said that, we have a lot of players who over the last two years have worked very hard to establish themselves as England players.
“Those who are on the outside, still looking to get in, have got to convince me I’m better off leaving out a player I have been working with to make space. We have only got 23 places, 20 outfield players, we can’t unfortunately cap every player. Before the World Cup it was Grant Holt, so there is always somebody.”