Gary Neville reacting to England’s Euro 2024 provisional squad (Picture: YouTube)
Manchester United and England legend Gary Neville was left ‘stunned’ by one omission from the Three Lions’ provisional Euro 2024 squad.
Gareth Southgate announced a 33-man training group on Tuesday and will whittle that number down to a maximum of 26 by the June 7 deadline.
England are one of the favourites to win Euro 2024, having reached the latter stages of the last two World Cups and losing on penalties in the Euro 2020 final.
Neville is ‘excited’ for England’s chances in Germany this summer but admits he was ‘really stunned’ not to see Jordan Henderson in the initial squad.
Henderson, who has not missed a major tournament since Euro 2012 and racked up 81 caps for England since making his debut in 2010, was overlooked following a disappointing and controversial season in which he played for Al-Ettifaq and Ajax.
The 33-year-old made just 19 appearances in Saudi Arabia following his emotional departure from Liverpool but has struggled for form and fitness since joining Ajax in January.
‘Why’s that happened? I didn’t expect that,’ Neville said on The Overlap when news broke of Henderson’s omission from England’s latest squad.
Jordan Henderson was left out of the squad (Picture: Getty)
‘I didn’t think he would start at the Euros but he was a mainstay in the team at Qatar. I thought he would be in there because he’s a good player to have in the squad and can do a job.
‘I’m really stunned by that. They are really short in that midfield position. It does feel surprising to me.
‘Looking at the personnel, Gareth Southgate is almost going to be forced to play a really attacking midfield. I thought he would go for that experienced player who can control things.
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‘I have to say, I’m excited by what we could do in this tournament. If you can’t go with hope, what can you go with?
‘I think defensively is our biggest weakness so I’m a bit concerned our midfield could be more open but it’s going to be exciting.’
Explaining his decision to omit Henderson, Three Lions boss Southgate said: ‘He is a fantastic professional and it was a difficult call to make. He’ll be a miss. He’s an exceptional individual and fantastic human being.
Gareth Southgate announced a 33-man training group this week (Picture: Getty)
‘The determining factor is the injury he picked up in the last camp. He missed five weeks and he just hasn’t been able to get to the intensity [we need] in the games since then.
‘You have to make difficult decisions and you have to keep evolving the squad. Your heart, of course, wants you to take all of those players that have been with you for so long.’
Ex-Liverpool captain Henderson was not the only high-profile player to miss out, with Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford also overlooked.
England provisional Euro 2024 squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
‘These are difficult calls – you are talking about players who are very good players who have been an important part of what we have done,’ Southgate added.
‘With Marcus [Rashford], I feel players in the same area of the pitch have had better seasons, it’s as simple as that.’
England begin their Euros campaign on June 16 against Serbia, before facing Denmark and Slovenia as they bid to progress from Group C and ultimately win their first men’s major trophy since 1966.
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