Marc – Football World Cup Blog

James Maddison honoured to earn maiden England call-up

Leicester City attacker James Maddison has said that he is honoured to make the England senior squad for the very first time. The 21-year-old has been a revelation for the Foxes since making the move from Norwich City during the summer and he is now looking forward to making an impact with the Three Lions without dropping out of the setup.

Speaking to reporters, he said: “I know I have been playing well for Leicester. I’ve played all the games in the Premier League this season and we’ve had a relatively good start but you can never expect it [England call up] I don’t think. It is such a big honour to play for England and get the call from Gareth. We have been given this opportunity to show what we are about. Me, Mason [Mount, Derby] and Jadon [Sancho, Dortmund] as young lads. If it was up to me I’d never go back to the Under-21s because this is where every young boy dreams of being.”
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England manager Gareth Southgate heaps praise on Harry Maguire

England manager Gareth Southgate has praised the qualities of Harry Maguire ahead of the Three Lions friendly against Switzerland at the King Power Stadium. The Leicester City centre-back has been a huge revelation for the national team since making his debut last year and Southgate believes the 25-year-old is one of the best in the business at the moment.

Speaking to reporters, he said: “I was first and foremost delighted he was fit and available. The reason for that being when I was watching him during last season I knew that on the biggest stage he’d be able to perform and excel.I was so pleased he was going to have the opportunity to do that and he delivered.He’s a superb defender, he’s really effective in both penalty boxes and the way that he brings the ball forward and can use the ball is as good as anything in Europe, in my opinion.”
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Jurgen Klopp keen on working with Daniel Sturridge next season

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has dropped a huge hint that Daniel Sturridge could stay put with the club for the upcoming season. The England international’s future has come under question after an underwhelming loan stint with West Bromwich Albion last term but Klopp has been impressed with the forward’s influence during the ongoing pre-season.

Speaking to reporters, Klopp revealed his ambition to keep hold of Sturridge and he believes that the 28-year-old could play a decisive role for the Reds during the 2018/19 campaign. He added that talks are underway over a probable extension with his current deal due to expire in less than 12 months’ time.
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Tottenham Hotspur legend praises Gareth Southgate after World Cup showing

Tottenham Hotspur favourite Ledley King has praised Gareth Southgate for the work he has done with the England national side. The Three Lions managed to exceed expectations as they reach the semi-final stage of the recent World Cup and there has since been plenty of praise for Southgate who has formed a strong bond with the national team players.

In a report covered by The Mail, King highlighted the same regarding Southgate and believes the former Middlesbrough defender is the right person to propel the Three Lions towards trophy success. He said: “You never know how someone is going to take to coaching. He’s an intelligent man and he’s worked with England players at the younger ages.
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Gary Neville: Harry Kane is England’s only truly world-class player

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has highlighted Harry Kane as the sole world-class player in the England squad and believes would get into any other team at the World Cup. The Tottenham Hotspur star has improved leaps and bounds over the past few seasons and he is presently leading the line for the Three Lions in Russia.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville was full of praise for Kane, who bagged a match-winning brace in the 2-1 triumph over Tunisia, he said: “World class for me is defined by the question: would he get into any other team in the tournament? And I think he would. Other teams would have to find a place for him, he’s that good. There will be those who say: ‘You’ve got to do more, how do you define world class?’ But his performances in the last two years in the Premier League and performances for England, his stature, and the fact if he was made available for sale, every club in Europe would want him.”
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Danny Murphy believes Phil Jones is fortunate to make World Cup squad

Former Liverpool and Fulham star Danny Murphy believes Phil Jones is lucky to have made the World Cup with England this summer. The centre-back has been error-prone on a multiple occasions this campaign and he was guilty of conceding a penalty against Chelsea on Saturday which cost Manchester United the FA Cup title.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Murphy was critical about the selection of both Jones and Danny Rose, though he believes that James Tarkowski has deserved his spot after impressing for Burnley in the top-flight, he said: “Overall I think Gareth has done the right thing, but Phil Jones is fortunate to get in. I like James Tarkowski, I think he’s had an unbelievable season and maybe he should have been in the squads earlier. “The other one I was a little bit surprised at was Danny Rose – he’s hardly played and when I’ve seen him play recently he hasn’t looked fit.”
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Gareth Southgate admits selection headache after Marcus Rashford’s showing

England manager Gareth Southgate has admitted that he has a selection headache on his hands following Marcus Rashford’s stunning goal against Costa Rica in a World Cup warm-up game. The 20-year-old did not have the best of seasons with Manchester United where he was restricted to limited gametime but he nevertheless put up a strong showing in the Three Lions shirt.

Following the game, Southgate said that Rashford’s goal was ‘world-class’ and he now has a selection headache ahead of the World Cup which begins on June 14. He said: “At the end of the season he cares so much he tries too hard. I said before the game I expect to see mistakes with attacking players in particular because if they are taking people on and trying to be creative, they are going to make errors. His goal was world class and he was teasing defenders on the touchline. His performance wasn’t perfect but he was enjoying his football and that was great to see. I’ve got 11 or 12 [players] that are going to be difficult to leave out.”
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Harry Kane Insists He Will Be Prepared For The World Cup

England international Harry Kane has insisted that he should be in a much better shape for the 2018 World Cup after having gained valuable experience ever since the disappointment at Euro 2016. The 24-year-old has been the standout performer for Tottenham Hotspur this campaign but they have been lingering doubts over his fitness after rushing his return from an ankle problem in April.

However, speaking to reporters, Kane has clarified that he has no issues with his fitness and he has plenty of time ahead of the World Cup to recover from any minor niggles, he said: “This summer I will be fresher. That was my first tournament so there were a lot of expectations. Having that experience will help and I definitely feel better.Obviously, I had a good rest last summer. This year has been tough with all the competitions we played in.But I’m feeling good. I’m feeling like anyone would at this stage of the season but there is plenty of time to recover and get ready for the World Cup.” Continue reading

Jesse Lingard Delighted With Maiden Goal For England

Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard is pleased to have bagged his maiden England goal during Friday’s 1-0 win over the Netherlands in an international friendly. The victory ended the Three Lions’ 22-year wait for a victory over the Dutch, and this came about from a man of the match performance from Lingard, who scored the winner in the 59th minute of the game.

Speaking about his match-winning effort, he said: “It’s up there with my best moment. It’s always an honour, to score as well is a massive bonus. I took a bit of time, tried to concentrate on it and I tried to give the keeper the eyes.Of course, I want to start (in Russia). When you work hard you get the rewards so from now I will carry on working hard and see where it gets me.”

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Shelvey for England?

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez believes that Jonjo Shelvey can be a useful player for England if he is selected. He said that the player will bring different options to the team and maybe a great asset to the England team.

Rafael Benitez said that Jonjo Shelvey has been an outstanding player this season for Newcastle United and that there is no doubt that he might be useful for the England team. Continue reading Shelvey for England?