Midfielder Alli received his first senior worldwide call-up on Thursday for England’s upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers with Estonia and Lithuania.
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Having failed to even make it past the group stage at last summer’s World Cup, Hodgson needs to get his preparations spot on in the run-up to Euro 2016 if England are to succeed.
Hodgson was tipped off about Dele Alli after his assistant Ray Lewington spotted an worldwide in the making while watching his son Dean play for MK Dons in the lower leagues.
Ings also steps up to the senior squad for the first time, but there was no place for his Liverpool team-mate Daniel Sturridge, with Hodgson opting to wait for the striker to recover full fitness.
He added: “He’s so young and has only just broken into the Tottenham team, but we’re very impressed with what we’ve seen”. It’s a good opportunity with so many midfielders away through injury. “The best way to have him in November is to leave him in October”.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph after yesterday’s squad announcement (01/10), he said, “I haven’t Googled or used Wikipedia to find out about him”.
“It is no problem to us”, Hodgson said.
The already-qualified Three Lions will play host to the Estonians at Wembley on October 9, before they conclude their campaign in Vilnius three days later. We are here to help, we love the England players and have the possibility to go to the national team.
“I’m disappointed but at the same time, I’m happy with the performance and the effort, that was brilliant”, Pochettino said. “Nobody knows a lot about him right now, but he’s made a good start to the season for Spurs and he’s earned a spot”.
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The 19-year-old, who has represented England at every level from Under-17s upwards, joined Spurs from Milton Keynes Dons for £5 million earlier this year and is one of two new faces in the squad.
