We’re now much nearer to knowing which players will almost certainly guide England to Euro 2016 success this summer.
But for a fake bomb scare at Old Trafford, all but one of the season’s Premier League fixtures are now done and dusted, and Roy Hodgson has named the 26 players he will take into pre-tournament friendlies against Turkey and Australia.
The headline news is that Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has earned his first ever call up to an England senior squad after only making his club debut a couple of months ago. Andros Townsend is also a surprise inclusion, with many suggesting that he’s benefited from the injury sustained by Danny Welbeck in last weekend’s game at Arsenal.
There have also been mixed emotions for two of Welbeck’s clubmates. Despite only recently playing his first football since pre-season, Jack Wilshere has been named in the squad. Theo Walcott however, misses out, although has immediately tweeted a dignified good luck message to the team.
On Twitter, some some suggested that Walcott had more of a case for selection than Raheem Sterling…
The inclusion of Sterling has gone so under the radar
A £50 million player who has done absolutely nothing all season; just a poor Walcott
— Joe Coleman (@_jpcoleman) May 16, 2016
Others picked holes in Hodgson’s reasons for not including him…
Hodgson said Walcott hasn't had any game time, what the fuck had he picked Wiltshire for then ?!
— FozzyB (@FozzyB) May 16, 2016
The majority of people however, agreed that Hodgson had made the right call over the Arsenal man…
Theo Walcott deserves not to go to Euro 2016. He's been abysmal.
— SK (@SK45_) May 16, 2016
Aside from Walcott, Marcus Rashford’s first England call up caused a stir with many feeling Jermaine Defoe was unfortunate to miss out…
https://twitter.com/Gesther14/status/732158181309333504
As for Rashford… Ridiculous. Should be Carroll or Defoe. I know he probably won't actually go, but still.
— Mike Force (@forcey_123) May 16, 2016
Rashford – A good end of season stint… And he goes there with the intentions to "win" the tournament. Joke
— Vaughn Aldred (@VaughnAldred) May 16, 2016
And then there was the reaction to the news that Andros Townsend, despite being relegated with Newcastle last week, had also got himself back in the England picture…
Deserved for Townsend though…took his team all the way too…relegation. Huge plaudits 👏🏻👏🏻
— West Ham (C)entral 🏆 (@WestHam_Central) May 16, 2016
How the fuck has Andros Townsend got a shout.
— G Suggs (@GSuggsMCFC) May 16, 2016
What do you think about Hodgson’s picks? Tweet us, message us on Facebook, or email us: Hello@JOE.co.uk.
