Sam Allardyce admits that omitting Ross Barkley from his first England squad was the toughest decision he had to make.
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Whether Antonio makes his worldwide debut for England when they open their World Cup qualification campaign in Trnava remains to be seen, but one player who definitely will not feature is axed Everton midfielder Ross Barkley.
With Manchester United star Chris Smalling only playing a couple of minutes in their first three matches of the season, Allardyce only has Gary Cahill and John Stones from the Euro 2016 squad.
Everton’s Ross Barkley missed out as uncapped West Ham winger Michail Antonio got his first call.
From a selfish perspective as a Blue I’d rather Ross wasn’t in the England squad rather than being taken to fixtures as part of the camp but never played.
Hodgson was willing to hand the 24-year-old a key role at Euro 2016, despite just one start at the end of an injury-ruined 2015/16 campaign, but his successor appears unlikely to follow suit.
Allardyce also revealed that England’s Football Association was actively on the lookout for non-native players who might qualify to play for the national team. For him its disappointing but the door is always open and I have to make these decisions.
“We made our mind up, all my staff”.
On the qualities he looks for in a captain, Allardyce said: “I like an on and off-the-field captain, if there is one”.
“The journey”, said Allardyce, referring to why he selected Antonio. The quality of the player that has shown through in every league he has played.
The South Londoner has lined up against the club on no fewer than nine occasions – once for Colchester United, five times for Sheffield Wednesday and three for Nottingham Forest, who sold him to West Ham for £7m a year ago.
“When we come together in the next couple of days, we will go through the availability of all those players – the ones who were in the Euros and the ones who weren’t – and then make our squad decision from there”.
“I’m sure if there’s anything in the pipeline I’m sure Joe will tell us “this may happen” so we can get ready for it just in case it does”.
No captain has been named, with Allardyce unlikely to nominate his chosen man until after the squad get together at St George’s Park on Monday evening, but the previous incumbent Wayne Rooney is listed among the midfielders.
He added: “Should we say attacking midfielder or striker?”.
But Shearer claims the time has come for the 30-year-old forward to accept he can no longer cope with the demands of worldwide football and remain a part of Jose Mourinho’s first-team plans at United.
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“Ross is a hard one because he has been playing quite well since the start of the season and the change of position for Wayne made it a little hard to pick Ross”, said the former Sunderland manager.
