Chris Waddle on England: Concerns about defence, urges Grealish to consider City future and explains why Kane is most important player + tips 6 stars to shine at tournament
Three Lions Legend Chris Waddle has been running the rule over Gareth Southgate’s England squad when chatting to Gambling Zone.
Regarded as one of the most talented players of his generation, Waddle, who won 62 England caps, has expressed his concern about England’s defence and explained what advice Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi will be receiving behind closed doors ahead of the tournament opener against Serbia on Sunday night. Waddle also discussed the decision to leave Jack Grealish behind, and expressed sympathy for the Man City midfielder while also urging him to seriously consider his future at the club if he isn’t going to play every week. He named Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane as England’s most important player and discussed the players he’s looking forward to watching at the tournament.
Key quotes from Chris’ interview can be found below. All editorial must credit Gambling Zone and include a link to the source material.
- Waddle concerned by England’s defence and ability to deal with teams on the counter: We’ve got so much quality in every department, but the defence does concern me. We’ve normally had a steady back four going into major international tournaments, and we’re going into the championship with two centre halves who haven’t played many games next to each other. That paring does worry me, purely because there is a bit of an unknown quality to it. People have criticised Harry Magurie, but he’s been a big part of England’s success at previous tournaments and his knowledge and experience will be a miss. I’m not concerned about left back and right back, we know what Luke Shaw brings when he is available and Kieran Trippier is more than capable of providing cover. Kyle Walker, he’s a definite pick for me. I do worry that Kyle Walker leaves spaces with his attacking runs. We looked a little bit suspect when Iceland were breaking on us in the friendly game – they got in a few times. A lot of teams will be looking to play that way against us in the tournament, so we need to fix those defensive mistakes. I expect England to dominate the group matches, so we’ll need to be switched-on to teams looking to hit us on the counter.
- Waddle details advice Marc Guéhi will be receiving from England coaches: I think the coaches and Gareth will be telling Marc Guéhi how much they trust him; they’ll be boosting his confidence behind-the-scenes. He hasn’t ever played in games this big before and doesn’t have experience of playing in Europe. He’s been fantastic for Crystal Palace this season, but he is untested at the highest level. Some players walk into an England squad and hit the ground running. Hopefully that is something that Marc can do. John Stones is a very important player for England at this tournament. He’s got the experience of playing on the international stage and at the highest level – he’s a winner – and having him next to Guéhi will help him. I do worry about his fitness. We will have to wrap him in cotton wool at this tournament.
- Grealish has lost ability to express himself under Guardiola, tells him to consider his future at the club: Unfortunately, Jack lost his shirt to Doku, who’s been brilliant at Man City. I feel for Jack. I don’t think he’s a winger; I think he’s a midfield player. It’s easy to criticise Jack Grealish when he plays because he doesn’t take anybody on and he hasn’t got that pace to go past players, but he’s a very good footballer. On the ball, he’s tidy and rarely gives it away, which is what you need at international level against the best teams. He’s given Man City tremendous balance on the left when he’s played, but he’s not a winger and I think he’s got to have a long hard think about his future because he needs to be playing week-in, week-out. De Bruyne’s future at Manchester City is uncertain, so perhaps there is an opportunity for him to play in a more central role for Manchester City. That is where I would like to see him play and that is where I think he would shine. He’s always been a creative midfielder in my eyes. I think he is a player that needs to have a little bit more freedom to express himself, and you could say that he’s lost that under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
- Waddle: Consistent Kane is England’s most important player, sometimes we take his goals for granted: Harry Kane is England’s most important player. No doubt about it. He’s an elite level striker, probably the best in the world. He’s so intelligent, and I think sometimes we can be guilty of taking him for granted because we’re so used to him scoring so many goals. Individually, his numbers compare with any of the best players from over the last five years. People criticise him for his lack of medals, but I think that is incredibly unfair. He makes up for his lack of pace with his technical ability, hold-up play, vision. His movement is top class. He has a variety to his finishes. He moves people around on the pitch. If England are going to win it, then Harry Kane will be a big part of that.
- Waddle tips six star players who will shine at EURO 2024: Player-wise, I’m looking forward to seeing what Portugal’s Rafael Leão can do on this stage. Is he ready to show the ability that he’s got? He can be inconsistent at times, but, on his day, he’s a player that is really difficult to stop. He has all the raw attributes to be one of the best players in the world. When he’s on it, he is a guy that you would rank in the top five players in the world. I think Cole Palmer has the character and the confidence to grab this tournament with both hands if he is given the opportunity to express himself. Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala are two very exciting players in the Germany squad. They have both had fantastic domestic campaigns, and if Germany get off to a good start against Scotland and find momentum, I can see them terrorising a lot of teams in the tournament. Spain always seem to come into a major tournament with a young player that everyone is talking about, and this time its Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. He’s only sixteen. What a story and what a talent. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do. Then of course, there is Kylian Mbappé. He’s had a bit of a tricky season, there has been a lot of speculation, and he found himself out of the PSG team when everyone at the club realised that he was leaving. Despite all that, he still managed to score 27 goals and was the best player in France again. Now he has his move to Real Madrid confirmed, will that give him a bit more freedom to express himself? He will be full of confidence and is probably the most dangerous player at the tournament on his day. With France, because they have so much quality, Mbappé has a bit of a free role, and he will be very difficult to stop.
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Did England’s performance against Iceland give you any defensive concerns ahead of the EUROs?
Looking at the squad, the squad is very attack minded. We’ve got some quality players who are capable of opening up the doors. Harry Kane, obviously we know, who can score goals and is one of, if not the best striker in the world. Ollie Watkins has scored a lot of goals this season, so he’s not a bad option to have in the squad.
We’ve got so much quality in every department, but the defence does concern me. We’ve normally had a steady back four going into major international tournaments, and we’re going into the championship with two centre halves who haven’t played many games next to each other. That paring does worry me, purely because there is a bit of an unknown quality to it.
People have criticised Harry Magurie, but he’s been a big part of England’s success at previous tournaments and his knowledge and experience will be a miss.
I’m not concerned about left back and right back, we know what Luke Shaw brings when he is available and Kieran Trippier is more than capable of providing cover. Kyle Walker, he’s a definite pick for me.
I do worry that Kyle Walker leaves spaces with his attacking runs. We looked a little bit suspect when Iceland were breaking on us in the friendly game – they got in a few times. A lot of teams will be looking to play that way against us in the tournament, so we need to fix those defensive mistakes.
I expect England to dominate the group matches, so we’ll need to be switched-on to teams looking to hit us on the counter.
John Stones will partner Marc Guéhi in central defence. This will be the Crystal Palace man’s first major international tournament. That’s a different level of pressure – how can England prepare him for the tournament?
I think the coaches and Gareth will be telling Marc Guéhi how much they trust him; they’ll be boosting his confidence behind-the-scenes. He hasn’t ever played in games this big before and doesn’t have experience of playing in Europe. He’s been fantastic for Crystal Palace this season, but he is untested at the highest level.
Some players walk into an England squad and hit the ground running. Hopefully that is something that Marc can do.
John Stones is a very important player for England at this tournament. He’s got the experience of playing on the international stage and at the highest level – he’s a winner – and having him next to Guéhi will help him. I do worry about his fitness. We will have to wrap him in cotton wool at this tournament.
Gareth Southgate has made some big decisions with his squad. The eye-catching omissions were Jack Grealish, maybe you could say Marcus Rashford before the 26-man group was announced.
It seems to me that he’s gone with players that have very much finished the season in form when you think about Gordon and Eze’s inclusion. Were you surprised that he’s done that given that he has shown a certain amount of loyalty to players in the past?
A lot of people were surprised that Grealish was cut from the initial squad.
Rashford didn’t even make it into that, but he can’t have any complaints because he’s had a very hit and miss season. Sometimes Rashford looks like a world-beater, sometimes it dosn’t look like his heart is in it.
Grealish is the one that has grabbed all the headlines. Unfortunately, Jack lost his shirt to Doku, who’s been brilliant at Man City.
I feel for Jack. I don’t think he’s a winger; I think he’s a midfield player. It’s easy to criticise Jack Grealish when he plays because he doesn’t take anybody on and he hasn’t got that pace to go past players, but he’s a very good footballer. On the ball, he’s tidy and rarely gives it away, which is what you need at international level against the best teams.
He’s given Man City tremendous balance on the left when he’s played, but he’s not a winger and I think he’s got to have a long hard think about his future because he needs to be playing week-in, week-out.
De Bruyne’s future at Manchester City is uncertain, so perhaps there is an opportunity for him to play in a more central role for Manchester City. That is where I would like to see him play and that is where I think he would shine. He’s always been a creative midfielder in my eyes. I think he is a player that needs to have a little bit more freedom to express himself, and you could say that he’s lost that under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
Unfortunately, Gareth has picked players that are in form, so someone was always going to miss out. Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze have been in brilliant form for Newcastle United and Crystal Palace respectively. I think Gareth was right to pick them over Grealish because it’s very hard for a player that isn’t in form to come into a tournament and immediately find those levels.
Who do you think is England’s most important player?
Harry Kane is England’s most important player. No doubt about it. He’s an elite level striker, probably the best in the world. He’s so intelligent, and I think sometimes we can be guilty of taking him for granted because we’re so used to him scoring so many goals.
Individually, his numbers compare with any of the best players from over the last five years. People criticise him for his lack of medals, but I think that is incredibly unfair.
He makes up for his lack of pace with his technical ability, hold-up play, vision. His movement is top class. He has a variety to his finishes. He moves people around on the pitch.
if England are going to win it, then Harry Kane will be a big part of that.
Are there any players that you’re looking forward to watching?
Player-wise, I’m looking forward to seeing what Portugal’s Rafael Leão can do on this stage. Is he ready to show the ability that he’s got? He can be inconsistent at times, but, on his day, he’s a player that is really difficult to stop.
He has all the raw attributes to be one of the best players in the world. When he’s on it, he is a guy that you would rank in the top five players in the world.
I think Cole Palmer has the character and the confidence to grab this tournament with both hands if he is given the opportunity to express himself.
Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala are two very exciting players in the Germany squad. They have both had fantastic domestic campaigns, and if Germany get off to a good start against Scotland and find momentum, I can see them terrorising a lot of teams in the tournament.
Spain always seem to come into a major tournament with a young player that everyone is talking about, and this time its Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. He’s only sixteen. What a story and what a talent. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.
Then of course, there is Kylian Mbappé. He’s had a bit of a tricky season, there has been a lot of speculation, and he found himself out of the PSG team when everyone at the club realised that he was leaving. Despite all that, he still managed to score 27 goals and was the best player in France again.
Now he has his move to Real Madrid confirmed, will that give him a bit more freedom to express himself? He will be full of confidence and is probably the most dangerous player at the tournament on his day.
With France, because they have so much quality, Mbappé has a bit of a free role, and he will be very difficult to stop.
