Roy Hodgson has never had it so good in his time as England boss – and he knows it.
After winning all 10 of their Euro 2016 qualifiers, England’s preparations for the tournament in France continue against Germany and Netherlands with an array of attacking options at the manager’s disposal.
“It’s always nice to announce a squad when you have got some riches in front of you,” said Hodgson after announcing his squad. “We have a lot of possibilities – some very good and different strikers – but we need to produce on the pitch.”
Captain and record goalscorer Wayne Rooney is out with a knee problem for the games in Berlin and at Wembley, which gives England’s other forwards an ideal chance to stake their claims for a starting spot with the national side.
Hodgson has confirmed that, fitness permitting, Rooney will be on the plane, but would not guarantee the Manchester United skipper a starting spot, meaning the stakes are high for Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy and Danny Welbeck with two places in the team potentially available.
Even if Rooney does, as expected, take his place in the starting line-up in France, the position in front of him – that of an out-and-out number nine – remains up for grabs.
There are also potential wildcard selections not in the current squad. Could Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe and Marcus Rashford make an impact if selected and how do their records compare to those already in the reckoning?
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