England squad announcement: Harry Kane set to head list of England's new call-ups
The squad will play Lithuania and Italy
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The Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane should get his first England senior call-up on Thursday when Roy Hodgson names his first squad in four months at Wembley for Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania a week on Friday and the subsequent friendly against Italy.
There could also be call-ups for the uncapped Ryan Mason of Spurs, as well as Burnley’s Danny Ings. With Saido Berahino and Charlie Austin also contenders and Daniel Sturridge back to fitness, as well as regulars Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, Hodgson is blessed with a number of strikers at his disposal. Kane, however, has made an irresistible case to be included.
Hodgson is less well served in the centre of midfield, which means that Mason, 23, is a serious contender. He also has Jordan Henderson, Fabian Delph, Stewart Downing and Michael Carrick for those positions. In the wide areas, Ashley Young is back in contention and the likelihood is that Hodgson may well spare some of his senior players the second game, a friendly in Turin a week on Tuesday.
There could also be a recall for Robert Green as England’s third goalkeeper. The West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster, Hodgson’s regular No 3, is injured. Beyond Green, Tom Heaton, at Burnley, is the only English goalkeeper regularly playing in the Premier League.
Gareth Southgate also names his Under-21s squad for friendlies against the Czech Republic in Prague a week on Friday and Germany in Middlesbrough three days later. With the European Championship in June approaching, there will also be some consideration given to what Southgate needs for what the Football Association hopes is its first success in that tournament since 1984. The likes of Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers and John Stones could all find themselves in Southgate’s Under-21s squad.
Overall, Hodgson has arguably one of the deepest pools of Premier League players in some time from which to select a squad. The notable currently injured players are Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andy Carroll and Foster.
It will be Kane, the winner of back-to-back Premier League player of the month awards, who is likely to be the most interesting candidate. Hodgson said last month: “Is he worth a place in the squad now? Of course he is. I think he’s got the qualities that you’re looking for in a centre-forward. If you can be a star at a top team like Tottenham at the age of 21 then you’re doing pretty well.”
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