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CARRAGHER BACKS HODGSON’S FINAL EURO 2016 SQUAD

Former England international and well known Pundit, Jamie Carragher commended the choice of England manager Roy Hodgson for his final squad selection for the Euro 2016 tournament in France. Pundit Martin Keown also agreed with Carragher.

There are concerns that the manager is going into the tournament where England are among the favourites to win with very young players who have been long-term injured and/or shown no decent form in recent times.

The coach dropped known title winner Danny Drinkwater and in-form winger Andros Townsend from his initial 25. He went ahead with other young players and some players that are not in their best form.

Unlike Carragher, former Newcastle star Alan Shearer expressed a totally different reaction. He accused Roy Hodgson of going for ‘reputation rather than fitness and form’, as the likes of Wilshere, Sterling, Henderson and Sturridge kept their squad places. He said he wished the coach the best but hopes he does not regret the choice especially as England are overdue for a trophy.

Keown said that what young star Marcus Rashford showed in 18 minutes in the warm up game against Australia showed that Andros Townsend wasn’t needed. England won that match, and are now one of the teams regarded as having an outside chance of winning the Euros - the latest Euro 2016 odds at StanJames have them as fourth favourites.

Keown said: “I applaud him for going with the most technically gifted players. Marcus Rashford proved in 45 minutes against Australia that he could go to France as a striker, and in 18 second-half minutes showed he can play out wide as well. That meant Townsend wasn’t going as Roy didn’t need the extra winger.”

Carragher agreed with Keown. When asked on the Townsend drop, he said: “As for Andros Townsend, it came down to: ‘Do I pick the in-form club player, or stay with trusted regulars, such as Raheem Sterling and Henderson?’ Even with Jordan’s fitness worries, he’s made the right call.”

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