England squad

[bennythedip2]

Eric Dier gets England call (November 5 2015)

Tottenham's Eric Dier has been called up to the senior England squad for the first time.


The uncapped 21-year-old has been in impressive form for Spurs this term, playing in all but one of the London club's Premier League games, and he's now been named in Roy Hodgson's England squad for the upcoming friendlies against Spain and France.

Dier's 19-year-old Tottenham team-mate Dele Alli has been retained after playing his first two games for England in last month's Euro 2016 qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania.

There is no place in the 23-man squad for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, who continues to be troubled by a knee injury.

Jack Grealish has not been included either as he is still waiting to receive international clearance from FIFA after switching his allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to England.

There are 13 squad regulars out injured, including the likes of Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Jordan Henderson, Luke Shaw and Jack Wilshere.

Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph has been recalled after he recovered from a hamstring injury.

Premier League top scorer Jamie Vardy is one of three strikers - along with Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane - named in the party.

But it is Dier's call-up that is the most striking news from Thursday's squad announcement.
Back England at 10/1 to win Euro 2016

Dier moved to Portugal at the age of seven and started playing for Sporting Lisbon's youth team after being spotted by scouts.

The 21-year-old remained at the Portuguese club until the summer of 2014 when Spurs signed him for £4million.

Dier has played nine times for the England Under-21s. In November last year he opted out of playing for Gareth Southgate's team against Portugal and France as he said he wanted to go back to Tottenham to work on his game as a centre-half, rather than play at right-back.

But he has been playing well as a holding midfielder for Tottenham this season and could now feature in the friendly against Spain in Alicante on November 14 or the home game versus France three days later.

Hodgson said of Dier: "He's done very well. Obviously it's a position in the centre of midfield where we wanted someone of a more defensive bent and there are not a lot of those players available to us.

"We are much more blessed in terms of forward players or attack-minded players but this is a good opportunity for him. Having seen what he can do for Tottenham we can see what he can do for us."

While several players are missing through injury, Hodgson is satisfied he has been able to put together a squad of experienced players who are all in the frame for Euro 2016.

"It's November so we still don't know who will be available and what sort of group we will have in June," he said.

Profiles

Eric Dier

"But this is a great opportunity for us to have a look at some players who have spent a lot of time with us but perhaps not had as much game time.

"You can see from the squad there are not too many newcomers or left-field selections so this is a good opportunity for us to learn more about players that we believe in and give them a chance to stake a greater claim to be in the 23 next year and test ourselves against two top-class teams."

Hodgson was pleased to see Wayne Rooney back among the goals for Manchester United after his recent drought, but did not want to be drawn on the debate regarding Louis van Gaal's tactics and how they might be affecting the England captain.

"It's good to see him score a goal," Hodgson said.

"It's been a difficult time for him and it's nice to see him score a crucial goal in a Champions League match and I congratulate him on that.

"He's just turned 30 which is another milestone and he has equalled Denis Law's record (for goals at Manchester United) so that is another milestone. Autumn has been a great milestone period for him and I rejoice with him."

Asked about United's tactics, Hodgson added: "I don't get involved in that debate. I think it's up to every club manager to use his players the way he wants to use them and get his team to play the way he wants to and I must do the same with the England team."

There was no place in the squad for Tottenham winger Andros Townsend after he was banished from the first team by manager Mauricio Pochettino following the player's public dispute with a fitness coach.

"I'm sad for that, for Tottenham, for him," Hodgson said of the situation.

"I'm pleased to see him apologise and we will keep a close eye on him."

England squad: Butland (Stoke), Hart (Manchester City), Heaton (Burnley); Bertrand (Southampton), Cahill (Chelsea), Clyne (Southampton), Gibbs (Arsenal), Jones, Smalling (both Manchester United), Stones (Everton), Walker (Tottenham); Alli (Tottenham), Barkley (Everton), Carrick (Manchester United), Delph (Manchester City), Dier (Tottenham), Lallana (Liverpool), Milner (Liverpool), Shelvey (Swansea), Sterling (Manchester City), Kane (Tottenham), Rooney (Manchester United), Vardy (Leicester).