Roy Hodgson has urged England’s hopefuls to keep impressing if they want to be part of next summer’s World Cup squad.
The Three Lions boss named his squad to face Chile and Germany on Thursday as he steps up preparations for the trip to Brazil in 2014.
With the likes of Southampton trio Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert all named in his squad, along with a number of players from Gareth Southgate’s Under-21 squad impressing with their clubs, Hodgson is pleased to see more options emerging.
And Hodgson has sent out his own message to any player with ambitions of breaking through into his squad between now and next summer.
“Keep playing well for your club, be aware that you are being watched every week by an FA scout,” he told TheFA.com.
England v Chile
International Match
8pm, Friday 15 November Wembley Stadium
Tickets: 0844 826 2010
“Quite often, Ray Lewington, Gary Neville or myself are watching so there won't be any potential players between now and the selection in May that us three won't have seen on numerous occasions.
“So it's a case of taking the opportunity to impress us when you play for your club side.”
What has pleased Hodgson in recent months is the number of young players who have been featuring, and impressing, in the Premier League this season.
Everton midfielder Ross Barkley is one player who has been in Hodgson’s recent squads and there are a few players with the Under-21s who have been catching the eye too.
He added: “I think we’re moving that way. Ross Barkley’s played a large amount of games for Everton, Ravel Morrison is playing on a regular basis for West Ham and Saido Berahino at West Brom.
“If I look through the Under-21s squad, quite a few of them are playing regular matches for their clubs. So it is happening.
“It will depend to what degree I want to experiment and want to do in these two games and to what degree I want to keep combinations of players together to make certain they get more practice time.
“But the big question is to what extent I’m convinced, at this moment in time, that an 18-year-old is going to keep some of the senior players who have got us to the World Cup out of the team.
“I have to be quite convinced, like one was with Wilshere a few years ago.
“Ross has got a great opportunity to prove that, but it won’t just be in a couple of England games, but also in all the Everton games that I hope he’ll be playing between now and the end of the season.
“We know him well enough to know he is a very gifted player, but the same will apply to the Ravel Morrisons and the James Ward-Prowses, as don’t forget he’s in the same age-group.”
Tickets for the Chile game are still available to purchase.
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Public sale: Tuesday 22 October from 12 noon
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