Trevor Steven: Jamie Vardy’s England retirement is a mistake but it opens door for exceptional talent Phil Foden
Tinker, modify and ask how you can improve, by all means, but I don’t think Gareth Southgate should chop and change too much when he names his first England squad of the season on Thursday.
The opening match of the new Nations League against Spain on Saturday week and a friendly with Switzerland three days later are an opportunity for Southgate to take a closer look at some new players.
Those players should be ones who were already on his radar, though. Three games into the campaign is too early for unfamiliar faces to have done enough to force their way in.
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A handful of spaces are up for grabs due due to injury, fitness and – in the case of Gary Cahill and Jamie Vardy – players stepping back from the England set-up.
Cahill, 32, hasn’t played a minute for Chelsea this term so I understand his international retirement, but Vardy’s decision came as much more of a surprise to me.
It has become a thing that players do later on in their careers, but I don’t think playing for England is such an extra workload. You’re a long time retired and no longer an England player.
I think Vardy still brought something to Southgate’s squad, so to me this seems like a miscalculation by the Leicester striker.
Injuries to Nick Pope and Tom Heaton mean there is room for another goalkeeper and my choice would be Alex McCarthy at Southampton, who has impressed me this season.
Alex McCarthy has impressed for Southampton this term (Source: Getty)
I’d go for him over No1 Joe Hart, who is now getting games at Burnley but has been inconsistent for two years now. Southgate has already indicated he wants to move on from Hart so it makes sense to try someone new.
Cahill’s absence opens the door for a centre-back and without a doubt it should be Joe Gomez. The Liverpool youngster already looks a complete player and reads the game well.
Phil Jones has been dropped by Manchester United and I’d leave him out in favour of Jamaal Lascelles, assuming he is fit enough after missing Newcastle’s weekend loss to Chelsea, and if not then Burnley’s James Tarkowski, who was close to making the World Cup squad.
Joe Gomez (left) is an obvious replacement for Gary Cahill (Source: Getty)
I’d change both left-backs that went to Russia, though. At 33, Ashley Young is not one for the future, while Danny Rose is mired in uncertainty over his Tottenham place and may benefit from being omitted.
Instead I’d pick Ryan Bertrand, who was very unlucky not to make the World Cup party, and Luke Shaw, who has shone in place of Young at United so far this season.
Leicester’s James Maddison has been touted for a call-up but I think it’s too early for him and the likes of teenager Jadon Sancho, who is starting to make waves at Borussia Dortmund.
Jamie Vardy has effectively retired from England duty (Source: Getty)
Having said that, I think this is a great chance for Southgate to try Phil Foden. He may not have much first-team action under his belt yet but the difference is that he is at Manchester City, where David Silva and Bernardo Silva are blocking the way.
Foden is an exceptional talent and, as a key figure in the England team that won the Under-17 World Cup last year, is well known to set-up already and has shown he is well suited to the international game.
England have a striker shortage, so instead of calling up a forward in place of Vardy I’d pick Foden, 18, and give him a chance in a Lionel Messi role against Switzerland. Let’s see what he can do.