Grealish, Maguire cut from England Euros squad

James Olley, an experienced reporter from ESPN FC, posted a blog on June 6th, 2024 at 8:58 PM.

Gareth Southgate has encouraged his reformed England team to unite despite the absence of some notable players in their official selection of 26 individuals for the Euro 2024 event.

The upcoming finals will be without some key players such as Jack Grealish from Manchester City, Harry Maguire from Manchester United, and James Maddison from Tottenham. Curtis Jones and Jarell Quansah from Liverpool, Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton, and James Trafford from Burnley will also miss out after Southgate made the decision to reduce his list to 33 on Thursday.

About half of the team of 26 players that Southgate brought along to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar a little over a year and a half ago did not make the cut this time around. Meanwhile, 12 of the individuals chosen are new to playing at a big event.

Maguire was not present due to an injury in his calf that would have made him unavailable during the group stages. Grealish and Maddison were not chosen because the team opted for younger attacking options such as Antony Gordon from Newcastle and Cole Palmer from Chelsea. Though Kobbie Mainoo from United and Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace have limited experience at this level, they were still picked for the team.

Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips were not picked for the England squad despite being important players during Southgate's eight-year stint as coach. The Three Lions manager is aware of the need for team bonding during preparations and this will be further continued in their last warm-up game against Iceland that's scheduled for Friday at Wembley.

"Undoubtedly, if we look back to Qatar, there have been several modifications," remarked Southgate. He intends to convene a team gathering on Thursday evening to resolve any concerns and setbacks within the squad, ultimately moving forward from a challenging week.

Choosing a team is a choice that happens at a specific moment. There are times when you might refresh the team more than planned, and this has already caused an eagerness and a strong desire to win. The most important thing now is for us to come together as a united team.

Some of our players have been part of our team for quite some time, resulting in strong connections among them. It's crucial for us to recognize and utilize these bonds. Our group should unite and work harmoniously. It's essential for them to acknowledge that every game, the 15 players who aren't picked will play a significant role in our performance because most of them will get to participate in the match.

The vibe surrounding the hotel and the ambiance at the training ground are vital elements for achieving success in tournaments.

Well, a few of the fellas haven't had that opportunity in the big leagues just yet. However, we do have a few champs from the junior World Cup and junior Euros on our team, so they know what it's like to play in an intense competition. Plus, we have some truly outstanding individuals who are incredibly dedicated to their craft, so I'm not too worried. That said, we'll definitely be focusing on developing this aspect of our game in the upcoming weeks.

Despite not having played since February 18th because of a hamstring issue, Luke Shaw was still chosen. According to Southgate, he may be able to participate in the second group game as it stands.

"Obviously, hitting the targets consistently is crucial. He's been consistently productive while maintaining a high pace. It's possible to take a risk and bank on the fact that we have sufficient proof to suggest that it will be worth it."

Maddison has had a tough time getting back to his strong performance at the beginning of the season after coming back from injury in late January. He only managed to score one goal in the Premier League against Aston Villa on March 10.

The central midfielder was included in England's squad for the 2022 World Cup, but he did not get the chance to play as he faced a knee injury.

In his blog post about X, he expressed his deep disappointment about not being selected for Euro 2024. Despite training hard and putting in a lot of effort during the week, he realized that his performance for Spurs after recovering from an injury in the latter half of the season fell short of his usual high standards. As a result, he understood that Gareth had to make a difficult decision regarding his inclusion in the team.

According to Southgate, there are several players who have performed exceptionally well throughout the season. However, he believes that other players have had even more impressive performances, especially in the past six months or so. The recent game showcased some outstanding performances that support this belief.

We have multiple choices for attacking positions on the field, each with their unique qualities, especially Madders and Jack. These decisions have been difficult and extensively deliberated amongst our staff to ensure fairness and sound reasoning.

Maguire, who has gathered a total of 63 England appearances, is also another important player who is not present.

Southgate shared that Harry has achieved some advancements, however, the journey has not been smooth. He highlighted that Harry would not have been included in the group stage due to the complexities they had to overcome which were ambiguous and uncertain.

As our backline is not completely healthy, we require backup players who are physically fit and prepared to play from the beginning of the game.

ENGLAND TEAM SELECTED FOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2024:

The three premier league keepers have been selected as part of the England squad. These keepers, namely Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, and Aaron Ramsdale, have shown impressive performances in their respective teams. They have proven their skills and abilities on the pitch and have earned their spot in the national team. As keepers, they play an integral role in protecting their team's goals and ensuring that their team secures a win. With their talents combined, they could be the key to England's success in upcoming matches.

The group of players who are responsible for defending in a soccer team are known as defenders. In the English national team, these players are Lewis Dunk, Joe Gomez, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker.

These are the midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, and Adam Wharton.

Looking at the list, we see names of top football stars categorized as Forwards. The players include Jude Bellingham, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney, and Ollie Watkins.