Roy Keane questions the selection policy of England national coach Gareth Southgate. The analyst finds it incomprehensible that Jordan Henderson has been included in the final European Championship selection. The midfielder has not played for Liverpool since February due to injury, but is nevertheless allowed to prepare for the European Championship. Incomprehensible, the astonished Keane judges.
“He has not played football for more than three months and is now going to the European Championship?”, Keane wondered aloud in the studio on Sunday evening after the friendly match between England and Romania (1-0). Sky Sports. “Of course that can’t go well. I hear from many people that they would like to have Henderson there, but why? Does he do card tricks? Can he sing? Does he organize quizzes for his fellow players in the evenings? What does he actually do?” , the former midfielder let his surprise run wild.
Keane also found it very strange that Henderson took care of a penalty in the second half, which was missed. Dominic Calvert-Lewin topped the pecking order after the substitutions of Marcus Rashford and James Ward-Prowse. “Calvert-Lewin should have fought for his place there,” Keane told the Everton attacker. “He forced the penalty as a striker, while Henderson has not been in action for three months. Strikers must be selfish at that moment.”
In Keane’s view, the focus in England is too much on getting Henderson fit. He believes that performing well at the European Championship should be above all else and, according to the analyst, that is not possible with only half in a practice international. Southgate, however, took a different view on Sunday night. “His influence on the player group is very positive and this was a very important step for him physically,” said the national coach, who starts the European Championship against Croatia on Sunday.
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