This is how we fall back in love with the England team. It wasn’t that difficult. I’ve always thought we have the players.
What we have had is unimaginative managers, bland thinking and stale performances.
I saw Gareth Southgate quoted on Sunday as saying he hasn’t enjoyed all of the England performances since becoming manager.
Manager Gareth Southgate should be praised for the way England have played recently
It’s good to know we are not alone. Even the England manager is honestly admitting that.
But he is doing something about it and we should applaud the team he selected against Germany and the squad he has working with him for Tuesday’s game against Brazil.
He was forced into it with the number of withdrawals (and let’s see how many of those players turn out for their clubs in the Premier League next weekend) and it’s only one game — but let’s look at the positives.
Dominic Solanke (left) and Lewis Cook have both been handed call-ups to the senior squad
We can imagine a team led by Harry Kane, with Dele Alli, Harry Winks, Eric Dier, Danny Rose — a core of Tottenham players who showed they were fearless in back-to-back games against Real Madrid in the Champions League — plus Kyle Walker, John Stones and Raheem Sterling, who are all improving under Pep Guardiola, Marcus Rashford, Adam Lallana (when fit) and a crop of other young players screaming to be heard.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is one of those players, yes. But let me say this — he needs to do it more often. He can’t sit back and say, ‘That’s it, I’ve arrived’.
I was thrilled to see him bossing the game at Wembley against Germany. We’ve been talking about his potential for too long.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (left) and Tammy Abraham made their debuts against Germany
I watched him in the FA Youth Cup four years ago and he was the stand-out player, but he plays in his shell too often. This needs to be his breakthrough moment. I want to see him running games for Crystal Palace and then refuse to take a step back when he returns to his parent club, Chelsea. I hope we are not looking back on one Friday-night cameo as his main play.
The challenge is to stand out in a team at the bottom of the league, in a relegation dogfight, but that’s what he needs to do now.
It is remarkable that he is three months older than Alli, but has played 149 games fewer, which takes us back to the debate about giving young players a chance.
Southgate should be applauded for the way he has introduced younger players to the side
Dominic Solanke was one of my Ten to Watch for this season — so I am thrilled he, too, has been called up — but he hasn’t started a game for Liverpool in the Premier League yet. Chelsea were sad to see him leave, but he felt there was a clearer path at Liverpool. He will feel he has been vindicated with this call-up, but he has more work to do.
What Southgate has done is shown the Under 21 players that he will pick them. Solanke scored on Friday in Ukraine and now he is in the senior squad preparing to meet Neymar at Wembley.
Loftus-Cheek played without fear against the Germans and we must hope others follow his lead. Winks was the same when he got his chance.
Loftus-Cheek is England’s new kid on the block and ready to start making his mark
Gareth has been watching these players since he came into the FA and now he is showing courage by picking them. It inspires others to feel they can follow.
They must, of course, have game time for their clubs and this is where it becomes tricky. I would like to see a quota brought in, where every Premier League 18 must include three genuine homegrown players.
Managers have no desire currently to develop players because their attitude is, ‘I am only here for a couple of years, where’s the chequebook?’ If they had to pick them, they would work harder on developing them.
TEAMS TO START WORLD CUP
Of course we need the Silvas and De Bruynes, but it would not damage the brilliant spectacle that is the Premier League and would enhance the England team.
It’s not going to happen, so the England manager has to deal with it.
There are no such problems at Spurs, where manager Mauricio Pochettino picks young players. Alli is a good example of one who went from MK Dons to being a match-winner against Real Madrid. Would Loftus-Cheek have been given the same chance against Roma if he had stayed at Chelsea?