HEATED England squad selection debate over Henderson, James, Rashford, Gibbs-White decisions

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► Subscribe to Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub Use the link below to watch all the action from the BIG weekend! ► Watch Sky Sports: https://bit.ly/BuySkySports  Soccer Saturday react to Thomas Tuchel's England squad selection decisions with Jordan Henderson, Reece James, Marcus Rashford and Dan Burn among those included, while Morgan Gibbs-White was a notable omission.   #skysportsnews #england #worldcup    ► For the latest developments on this story: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/topstories ► For the latest transfer news: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/TransferCentre     More from Sky Sports on YouTube:  ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub  ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsnews ► X: https://x.com/SkySportsNews ► Website: https://www.skysports.com  ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can find out more here: https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/31754/11434270/license-sky-sports-footage

Transcript

00:00Today Thomas Tuchel named his first England squad because we have an international break coming up next weekend the World Cup qualifiers

00:05Get underway England against Albania is their opening qualifier at Wembley on

00:10Friday night before we get into the nuts and bolts of the squad doors

00:15When you saw that squad announced yesterday Thomas Tuchel's first as the new England head coach be honest. What was your initial reaction?

00:23baffled disbelief

00:26Surprised that players that you know, there's plays that you could probably put in a bracket of

00:32Contenders you more Gibbs white you're early. You're Ellie Anderson's you Callum Hudson a dog

00:38You could put Jacob Murphy

00:40Into that bracket and I'm looking and Jed Spence and people say are two-year-old clubs. You've named named plays from there

00:46No, it's not about

00:47Me talking about that

00:48I'm talking about plays who were in for a Morgan Gibbs white was a tick before a the squad had come out

00:53I didn't think him as a contender. He was in it for me. He was in the the last

00:59Squad were under under Lee's Lee Carsley and he's gone back to to all players and he's not gone on for

01:05He's got a reputation if you can say that and you can put Marcus Rashford into that bracket Reese James

01:12John Henderson and

01:14The message that it sends out to the players that are in for me

01:18What do I have to do to get into these England squad and for me Morgan Gibbs why it must be must have been

01:24Devastated thinking what do I have to do?

01:27To get in Thomas Zukal's first squad and that is where you all look there'll be an excitement around the England plays

01:33You've new manager first squad. Am I in it? And I I was in disbelief. I was

01:41Some of the players I do but I don't know what everybody expected he's got a team on contract

01:46He ain't got time to

01:47Put kids in this is about the now, isn't it? Exactly. He's got to the World Cup to win the World Cup

01:52He needs to win the World Cup. He ain't

01:54He ain't got time and this is where I can't work out what the FA have done

01:57They should have said he is a four or five year contract

02:00Here's the plan. You've got two World Cups and a European Championships. Then you can start having a look at youngsters

02:05He's got to start picking people like Jordan Henderson because he knows what he's going to get from Jordan

02:10And so so is is what he's doing because he was he was key to the press conference yesterday

02:13To talk about the fact between now and the World Cup. I think he's got six camps England players

02:17I think 60 days in

02:19total in order to get his message across get the team playing in the way that he wants and he talked about

02:23Reflecting the way the Premier League teams playing with that intensity as well

02:27He needs some familiar heads in there

02:29Which means some of the younger players for now at least end up on the periphery a hundred percent and that's cuz cuz he hasn't

02:35Got time, you know, I'd be better to go in and go right, you know Gibbs white Lewis Kelly

02:40Who's got in and live amends and people like that, you know?

02:43You put them in and then by the time that you go to this World Cup and you put you take half of them and half

02:48Of the the usual squad and then by the time the next Euros and things come around

02:52You're talking about these kids who now won't be kids and there are 50 60 70 caps between them

02:58You know every other country does it, you know, Germany have a nightmare scrap it start again, France scrap it start again

03:05Italy start again come from the arrogance of we don't start

03:11I don't know if we expected to win. I think we're just happy to get as far as I mean you don't think we are

03:16Anymore, I'll be immersed given what we've done on the sound

03:20Got to though. It's like taking that next step

03:23He hasn't got he hasn't got the time, you know, he hasn't got the time no disrespect to Dan burn great fair play to him

03:29He's gonna be 34 next year or 33 34, you know, but he's 32 at the moment

03:34Yeah, Jordan Henderson's gonna be 36 by the time that you know in June he's 36 next June

03:40Well, Harry Kane's gonna be nearly 35 come the World Cup exact. I mean exactly

03:43I mean Harry Kane can play till he wants I'm you know, in my opinion

03:46He's top draw and he plays a certain way

03:48But when you're a centre midfield player, you need to have legs about you. Let's break it down in terms of who he's gone for

03:53I don't think there's really any big discussion to be had over the keepers

03:56But these are the keepers that he's gone for Dean Henderson Jordan Pickford, of course

04:00Why do you need four goals James Trafford of

04:03Burnley but the same time let's doors move on to one of the areas of contention and that's defense and and the players that are in

04:11Now one player that immediately leapt out obviously we'll talk about Dan burn Mercer's touchstone already

04:16But you look at someone like Rhys James. He came back in October 13 appearances so far this season

04:22So if you're looking at players there on merit and form or coming back to what Mercer said you're looking for experience

04:27Why is he in there?

04:29Because he was with him at Chelsea has to be has to be has to be

04:34He's the best. Yeah when he's fit, but he's played

04:39You pick your best. He's the best. Yeah, but is he gonna be there in 80 months?

04:42He's played 10 10 games this season

04:47His appearances have not been enough to get in the England squad in my opinion

04:51I'm not having it but he's fit and plays already. No, I'm not having it at the moment that he's in that squad

04:57Who do you take who do you take?

04:59Well Trent's gonna be in it if it when he's when he's fit Kyle Walker's come back. Jed Spence has to be Carl Walker

05:05I'm surprised you didn't see

05:11He's not being fit he's not played enough football in my opinion to be in this Thomas

05:15You're going won't worry about when it clearly

05:17worry about when it comes to push comes to shove

05:20When he gets to the World Cup people like Rhys James if he gets him on the pitch and he's fit he plays

05:26He's the best. He's the best in his position. Did you see in my opinion?

05:30Did you see I wouldn't disagree with that Merce? I wouldn't disagree

05:32I think it's just these minutes to time the message that it must send out to the other players out there going

05:37Well, I'm playing well out. All right, he'll put the he'll put all the players in there. I mean Carl Walker's in it

05:44Think I'll have a look at Jed Spence. What do you have to do?

05:46What's your take on Dan Byrne because you can look at it two ways

05:49It's come very late 32 years of age Moses mentioning his age

05:52But but for players who start out non-league like he did with Darlington all those years ago

05:55It gives hope to them is he is he there though on merit for you doors?

06:00Good luck to him. Who else have we got? You know, John Stones is out. Harry McGuire's out

06:04I I don't think we're blessed. We sent out English center-halves at this moment in time

06:08You could have at Brantway Heywood Bellis was in in the last squad and got a cap. Has he done enough? No

06:13He's playing at Southampton. There's not a debate around that that goes. Well, he should be in

06:18We're not blessed with English center-halves at this moment in time

06:21We haven't been for numerous years John Stones is your is your main player. Could you put Ben White in there?

06:26He's been injured. So good luck to Dan Byrne. I mean, he's he's been to Yeovil

06:31He's he's had a fair old journey to get to this England squad. He's playing for Newcastle week in week out

06:36Is there anyone else out there? And that's my argument to say is he there on form? Yes, he is

06:41But would you be fit if McGuire Stones were there probably not but they're not there

06:47To do I should call it something right. Let's get back to Bobby Steve Clark Scotland squad

06:52Unbelievably, they got two young boys as well. They got a grease mate grease. Oh, yeah

06:58You're like you'll have your moment in there in a short while

07:00But I want to come to your miles in a minute Lewis Skelly because yeah, obviously we know about Lewis Hall

07:04He's out of the League Cup final tomorrow may come back right at the end of the season

07:08It's not looking good for him as well. My sluice Kelly 18 years of age only got his debut this season

07:13Is he ready for international football?

07:16Who knows until they play some people it's like a duck to water and some people struggle and it's difficult for him

07:23But I think he deserves it. I think him and liver men see I think if you're I'm looking for them

07:27I think they're very good talented fullbacks that will go on and hopefully get 50 60 70 caps

07:33I mean, I don't see Lewis Skelly and liver meant to being in the squad and

07:39Not going on to get 50 or 60 caps if they look after themselves Dan Burns not going to get 50 or 60 caps

07:44Yeah, I mean he's not going to it's just facts

07:47He ain't he's too old to get that many now, but I like the I like the choice of these two

07:51I do like him and then you know, you've got Rhys James in there

07:54Who's got the experience if he's fit Rhys James plays, but you know, but at the moment I

08:00Will I would have took Rhys James?

08:01Okay, and I know because Thomas is Thomas Tuchel played under him

08:04But he knows what he's like and sometimes that works as your advantage, you know

08:08You get loads of managers that like players and they take him everywhere they ever go and and I think that's the thing with Rhys

08:13James, but if they can get Rhys James fit and I think it's a confidence booster for Rhys James as well

08:18You know to get put in England squad

08:19I think you know, I ain't been in for a while. He got left out to you the euros

08:23So for me, I like that one, but it's really a club's

08:27Responsibility to boost a player's confidence. Not not the international manager. Oh, no

08:31I mean that we're talking different levels now, you know club and then you plan for your country

08:35Your country's a lot different to plan for your club, you know, especially when

08:39Everybody will think that England got a chance of winning the World Cup, you know

08:42You want to be in it? You want to be one of them players in my you know, I ain't like before over the

08:47Years, we've just turned up with tournaments, you know, you go to tournaments now you think yeah, England got a chance

08:52I don't if I'm being honest, I don't give us a chance in this tournament

08:56I've been bullish on the last three or four tournaments, but I don't I do not see it in this tournament at all

09:01Well, let's have a look at the midfield because the player who's been commanding the most column inches since Thomas Tuchel named that first squad

09:08yesterday

09:09Was a certain Jordan Henderson. He's going to be 35 in June 81 caps so far

09:14He's made 34 appearances for ix this season. He had that disappointing and ultimately not successful spell in Saudi Arabia after leaving Liverpool

09:22What for you looking on at this boy D is Tuchel's thinking and bringing Henderson back into the fold

09:30Experience you can't buy it

09:32You know, I think Jordan Henderson will start no

09:36You look at I'll probably decla nice and Jude Bellingham you'd imagine is a midfield two foot for England and

09:43but you

09:46Amps what he brings around the dresser

09:48As much as what he?

09:50I mean, we've all been there at a national when you're away for a period of time

09:52You need people who are going to turn up and do things properly and Jordan headless

09:56Henderson has done that throughout his career. You know what you're going to get and there's not going to be

10:01Obviously noise around it in terms of you know, why has he been why has he been packed in blah blah blah blah but

10:08For example, there's other ones packed in there comes England game and I'm not saying Thomas Tuchel will be will be swayed by this

10:15But he's got to play this one

10:17He knows but why not put him in is maybe a young member of the coaching staff

10:21Rather than lose another place to one of the younger players like a Morgan gives white like a

10:26Plane he's been he's still playing football with one of the biggest clubs in the world and I ax

10:30You know, so I don't think you can I don't think it's

10:35But I don't think it's more suspended for during the week. Yeah, I don't I don't I don't think it's it's down to

10:41Thomas Tinkle to retire him as such, you know in terms of you know, just saying join him and the coaching staff

10:47I mean, he might not want to do coaching

10:49But for what he can bring and there is experience around the training ground

10:53It's not around the training training properly every single day every time you go setting the standards and there was you know

10:59I mean you go back to before under Lee cars

11:01There was people saying or England need experience England need experience

11:03He's packed experience and people are still morning. You can't win. You cannot win. Let's have a look at the forwards now doors

11:11Because inevitably one name stands out in terms of how much has been talked about this player

11:15How much would be written because of the backdrop to this story and that is that Marcus Rashford is back in the England fold

11:21He's made that low move to Aston Villa. I mean so far no goals, but he has

11:25Produced four assists so far, but when he saw his name in that squad, what's your initial reaction?

11:31Yeah, I was a little bit surprised. I'll be honest because we and I've always been a big fan of Marcus Rashford

11:37I've sat on here and tried to defend him and and look back to probably two or three years ago what he did scoring all

11:42the goals

11:43And then we started to see a glimpse of Marcus Rashford what his strengths are running at defenders

11:50Making assists, it's not a long enough run of four

11:53Not for me not in the slightest Simon and that's why it was a surprise night nine appearances for Aston Villa

11:58You can go back to before Christmas early on in December. It played for for Manchester United and that's why for me

12:06You have to do it more consistently

12:08He's he's not produced any form or any glimpses of this in the in the previous two years

12:15So yeah big surprise for me and that's for for the other players. I look at them and we touched on earlier

12:22It's what message and how does that make you feel when you are putting?

12:25Performances and Morgan Gibbs white a Callum Hudson a toy and Elliot Anderson and I know Thomas Tuchel spoke about

12:31All right, these some players are away with the 21s Adam Watt and Ellie we can can bring move them up

12:37It's not about that. It's a first squad. He's a president and gone. This is my squad

12:40this is must be his best squad that he thinks and the other players must be like now that disbelief of

12:47Wow, I'm performing and Callum Hudson was was one for me that I I certainly would have look at Marcus Rashford

12:52I'm glad to see him back playing football with a smile on his face and doing something that we all

12:56We've seen in previous years, but for the last two years

12:59He hasn't performed that so in nine games or nine appearances

13:02You're saying it's good enough to get back in the England squad

13:03Not for me a MERS coming back to what you said about Rhys James and that confidence boost of being back at the International Fold

13:09Would you make the same argument for Rashford? That's why he's there

13:13Maybe I maybe again it goes back to he's proven. He's proven

13:18You know

13:19He hasn't got to sit there and pick a squad and sit there in the dugout and think I hope this works

13:25I hope he can handle the

13:27International football he's been there. He's done it Rhys James has done it, you know Rashford's done it

13:32You know Henderson's done it as it's saying, but I just don't see Henderson playing but you know, he's still in the squad

13:37But I'm definitely with doors on Gibbs white. I mean he's

13:41He has been a major major part of the Nottingham Forest success a major part

13:46He's involved, you know plays in a position where you've got to get on the ball

13:49You've got to make things happen and he does that on a consistent basis. He should have he should have been in there

13:55I don't care what anybody says

13:56So Thomas Tuchel should have found a way of getting him in and if that means taking a goalkeeper out

14:01You don't need four goalkeepers put him in the squad. He's thoroughly deserved it

14:06If I was him, I'd be distraught because I don't see how he gets back in now. I don't I don't see how he gets back

14:11In we haven't got that long. You know, it's only next it's next year and you know, it'll soon fly this will

14:16Yeah given for a season given his form as well as a remarkable admission

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