Gareth Southgate recently unveiled his rationale behind selecting the 26-player Euro 2024 squad, raising eyebrows by including Luke Shaw while omitting Harry Maguire, Jack Grealish, and James Maddison.
Despite Maguire’s integral role in England’s past tournament campaigns under Southgate’s guidance and the possibility of his fitness for Euro 2024, the England manager emphasized to reporters that maintaining the “balance” of his squad outweighed Maguire’s potential inclusion.
Additionally, Southgate shed light on Jack Grealish’s absence from the squad, despite his notable performance and assist during England’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Similarly, he addressed James Maddison’s tweet expressing his belief that he could have “offered something different,” clarifying why Maddison did not make the final cut for the team traveling to Euro 2024.
Southgate also made reference to Luke Shaw, who was selected despite not having played since February, labeling him as the sole “gamble” in his squad. He provided an update on when the Manchester United left-back might become available during the tournament.
For Southgate’s comprehensive explanations behind his selections, continue reading below…
Regarding the absence of James Maddison and Jack Grealish…
“We have several players who have consistently performed exceptionally well throughout the season in the league. However, in the past six months, we believe that other players have demonstrated stronger performances.
“The recent match highlighted outstanding displays that reaffirmed our choices. In the attacking department, we have a plethora of options, each offering unique strengths.”
“These decisions have been extensively deliberated by our coaching staff to ensure fairness and sound reasoning.
While we stand by our choices, we acknowledge that alternative decisions were possible. The players in question are integral to the team, displaying remarkable camaraderie and professionalism.
Delivering such news is always a difficult task, given their contributions and character.”
“We’ve maintained a consistent balance between defenders and midfielders in previous tournaments, with Trent [Alexander-Arnold] offering versatility in both positions. Retaining nine defenders aligns with this strategy.
Unfortunately, this meant we couldn’t accommodate Harry Maguire in the squad. Including him would have necessitated adding a 10th defender, disrupting the equilibrium and leaving us short in other crucial areas.
While Harry has shown progress, his situation remains complex, and his availability for the group stages was uncertain. Given the uncertainties and the need for a fully fit defensive line from the outset, we prioritized players who are ready to contribute from day one.”
“It was an incredibly tough decision, particularly considering Harry’s immense contributions to England and our team. His case differs slightly from that of Grealish and Maddison, but it doesn’t make it any less challenging.
The decision regarding Harry is solely based on his physical condition and ongoing recovery from injury. There’s no doubt about his capabilities; he remains one of our strongest centre-backs.
Regarding potential replacements, Lewis Dunk and Marc Guehi showcased their abilities in recent matches. Additionally, Ezri Konsa had a stellar season at Aston Villa, excelling particularly in his preferred position as a centre-back. Despite featuring as a full-back in recent games, Konsa’s standout performances in March at centre-half haven’t gone unnoticed. We also have the versatile Joe Gomez, capable of slotting into multiple positions.”
