Well, Gareth Southgate’s preparations for the European Championship are nearing completion now, with a defeat (against Brazil) and a draw (against Belgium) from two friendlies over the past week at Wembley sealing some players’ spots in the squad for the finals while leaving others in uncertain territory.
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There are only two more matches (against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland in early June) before their opening group match against Serbia on June 16.
My former England team-mate Gareth still has a few decisions to make, so I discussed many of these in a live Q&A session with The Athletic subscribers.
We discussed Kobbie Mainoo’s excellent performance, the choice between Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins up front, a troublesome defence and where this all leaves previous England starters Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish.
Away from the national team, we also touched on the latest happenings at Newcastle United and Liverpool.
How to follow Euro 2024 on The Athletic…
Stefan K asked: Has Rashford earned a place in the England squad for the Euros?
Alan Shearer: If Rashford plays well between now and the end of the season, then that could potentially force the manager’s hand. But I don’t think he’s a certainty to go, no.
He’s not a centre-forward, he doesn’t want to play there. He’d be going as a wide forward who can play as a striker in an emergency. You can tell from his body language that he doesn’t want to play there for Manchester United. If he’s going to be in the squad, it wouldn’t be ahead of Harry Kane, Watkins or Toney, it’d be as a wide forward.
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Peter A asked: Do you think some players maybe lost their seat on the plane (in the Brazil and Belgium games), and others like Anthony Gordon, Mainoo and Toney have played their way onto it?
Shearer: That’s a really good point, Peter. Mainoo definitely, considering that this season he’s been unbelievable. What a story, given where he was last summer to where he is now.
You haven’t got time to mess around when it comes to making an impression. The games are very limited so when you get an opportunity, you have to take it. I think Gordon has taken his, he impressed on Saturday (in the Brazil game), and Mainoo is another. With Toney, I thought he did well — he was given an opportunity and took it.
In terms of players who didn’t play particularly well, I thought Ben Chilwell struggled on Saturday, and he gave it away a couple of times against Belgium. But what may work in his favour is that England aren’t blessed with many options in that position. Lewis Dunk also made mistakes against Belgium, which led to a goal. Ezri Konsa did OK in the two matches, so he did himself no harm.
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The problem the wingers have is there are so many of them. Grealish, Jarrod Bowen, Rashford, Gordon and Bukayo Saka, to name just a few, and so at least a couple of good players could miss out. Grealish and Rashford are definitely under pressure for their positions. It’s tough but, whoever Gareth picks, he can just point at all the options, whereas defensively he doesn’t have anywhere near as much depth.
Kartik G asked: Assuming England take two strikers to the Euros, who do you think should be Kane’s backup and why?
Shearer: England have to take more than two strikers, Kartik. I’d take Kane, Watkins and Toney — I think they’re our three best options. If fit, I think all three will — and I think should — go. There’s no doubt Harry will start every game but, if for any reason he is not fit, or if we need to change things and bring someone else on, I think Toney and Watkins are good options.
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They’re very different understudies. Watkins will run in behind the opposition defence because of his pace, he’s having a brilliant season for Aston Villa, his best season, and against Brazil he had one opportunity but he was feeding on scraps. Watching Toney get the penalty and stick it away, I’m sure Watkins was envious — in a good way — because he didn’t get that. Toney is a target man, good from set pieces and is a brilliant spot-kick taker. If England are to go far (at Euro 2024), they’re going to need to win at least one penalty shootout.
David M asked: One critique I see a lot of Southgate is an apparent “lack of Plan B”. I assume a Plan B is actually hard to do in practice — you barely get time to practise tactics and strategies with Plan A! Do you think a lack of Plan B is a justified criticism? If so, what does that look like to you?
Shearer: It’s strange you should ask this because the Brazil game was a celebration and a night to remember the great Terry Venables, my old England manager. We had the Euro 96 squad together and all of us were telling the story about when we played Holland (a 4-1 England win in the group stage of that competition). We were working on playing against them long before the tournament started because Terry said, “This is what they may do and this is what we need to do.”
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‘This’ was playing Stuart Pearce as a third centre-half and playing Gary Neville a bit further forward as almost a right wing-back. There was all this talk of a ‘Christmas Tree’ formation, something we had to change from and to between matches. We were adapting systems during the tournament, depending on who we were playing.
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You need a Plan B because, at some stage, Plan A is not going to work. It’s right that you do have a Plan B or even a Plan C. I don’t think England will go through the tournament playing just one system if they’re going to win it. You may have to change a system within a game. We are capable of doing that because of the options Gareth now has — if he has everyone fit.
Anonymous asked: Should supporters be worried about England’s back four at the Euros?
Shearer: If the back four is the same as it was against Belgium, then yes. If Kyle Walker and John Stones are not playing for England, then I would be concerned. I’m not convinced we have a great left-back, but then again if you go through every team, I’m not sure any of them have perfection. I don’t think England are perfect defensively, especially if injuries are affecting them, but they are not alone in having potential weaknesses.
William S asked: If you could take one current player from another national team and make him English, who would you pick and why?
Shearer: From a selfish point of view, as a centre-forward, I would have (Belgium’s) Kevin De Bruyne. I know that he would create chances for me and then the rest would be on me to stick it away, whether it’s crosses in or balls in behind, we see that every week for Manchester City when he is fit. If you’re talking world football, then Vinicius Junior (of Brazil) is amazing and would improve any side.
Mark S asked: What’s Southgate really like? What’s his mentality? And how do you think he’ll approach these Euros in terms of team selection and style of play?
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Shearer: Anyone who has missed an important penalty like he did (in the Euro 96 semi-final shootout defeat against eventual champions Germany), who has bounced back, who has, in his case, gone on to be England manager, getting to a World Cup semi-final and a Euros final, tells you everything about his character. As an England manager, he probably has the best chance any national-team manager has had going into a tournament to potentially win it, certainly for as long as I can remember. Even in Euro 96 or Euro 2020, both of which were played (at least largely) at home. I think we have the best front six, maybe even in world football when everyone is fit.
Nick L asked: Do you think playing Jude Bellingham alongside Declan Rice deeper in midfield with Phil Foden or James Maddison playing in the No 10 role could be an option?
Shearer: It was such a shame that Saka was injured (he missed both this break’s matches) because I am sure he would have played one of the games on the right-hand side, because then it would have been interesting to see where Gareth would have played Foden and Bellingham. But yes, I do think that’s possible.
Daniel H asked: Can you assess Southgate’s tactics in the big games we keep losing? Do you feel he’s too defensive or timid or lacks imagination to bring out the flair in the team?
Shearer: I understand that criticism. But, then again, he used Jordan Henderson and Rice together previously, but now Henderson hasn’t played in these friendlies and perhaps that is a sign that he isn’t going to go with two sitting midfielders. He won’t show his hand until the warm-up games, then he might play what he thinks is his strongest XI in one of those matches, but perhaps he will just play with one midfielder, especially in the group games.
We’ve got Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia (in the group) and I certainly don’t think they’re anything to be scared of, so we may see a more attacking formation and then, depending on how it works, he may persist with it. So I understand the criticism, but we also must remember that we were a penalty kick away from winning the previous Euros in 2021.
Dan C asked: Were you surprised (Everton centre-back) Jarrad Branthwaite didn’t feature across the two games? Will that end his chances of a Euros place?
Shearer: It won’t specifically damage his chances because, as disappointing as it was that he didn’t get a game, the player who did play ahead of him, Dunk, made a big error. That might even aid Branthwaite’s chances. I do like him. I think he has a big future ahead of him.
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Michael G asked: Why does Southgate not make more use of Maddison? Surely England need his creativity to open teams up?
Shearer: He came on against Belgium and did alright. Gareth has that option — and also Cole Palmer. We’re blessed with attacking players who can change a game. I’m a big fan of Maddison and I’d try to find a place for him in the squad so that he can provide a game-changing option.
If you add Bellingham and Foden into that equation, there are so many top-class players who can play as a No 10 or at least as an attacking midfielder and really influence matches.
Seth S asked: Do you think this will be Southgate’s last tournament as England manager? If so, who are the likely candidates to take on the job?
Shearer: If he doesn’t win it, then I would suspect so, yes. And I think that would be his choice, rather than the FA’s choice, but I’m only guessing. If you win the Euros, are you going to walk away from the opportunity to win the (2026) World Cup?
Paul E asked: What are realistic expectations for Newcastle next season under Eddie Howe?
Shearer: That’s very, very difficult to answer. For a start, are the profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) going to change this summer? And, if they are, does that mean Newcastle can spend?
If Newcastle can’t spend, then I don’t think the top four is possible. If they can, it all depends on how much they can spend. There’s no doubt they need to sign three or four top-quality players to get back into the top four. I have no idea if they’re going to be able to do that or not. Will they have to sell players to do it? And if so, who?
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Ryan D asked: What needs to change with PSR/FFP (financial fair play) for clubs to be able to challenge the ‘Big Six’?
Shearer: I don’t think it’s fit for purpose at the moment. My take is that if you (as a club) could put a bond up or put assets up and if you are profitable and sustainable and it’s guaranteed, then you should be allowed to spend. At the minute, you’re not allowed to challenge the elite. I guess we’ll have to see what changes are brought in this summer. If PSR was around in 1994-95, my Blackburn side would not have won the title…
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Neil M asked: Thanks for being the best No 9 I have ever seen growing up as a kid supporting Newcastle. Where do you think we can finish this season and who do you think is our next No 9 after Callum Wilson?
Shearer: Thank you, Neil. You obviously know your stuff! I honestly don’t know where Newcastle might finish. They’ve been so unpredictable. Obviously, I’m hoping for the very best and they’ve got some decent fixtures that they shouldn’t be scared of. In fact, they should relish them. The injury situation means they have not been able to have a settled team and that’s why they’ve shipped far too many goals.
Defensively, they have been rotten at times, whereas last season they were mean and nasty and horrible. That’s the difference. Nick Pope and Joelinton are massive misses. If we’d had those two fit, I think we might have got by. There’s nobody else who can do what Pope and Joelinton do for Newcastle.
Phil B asked: Are you concerned that Newcastle’s owners could reflect more harshly on this season due to having got Champions League football last season, or do you think Howe is 100 per cent safe to be in charge next season?
Shearer: I don’t think you’re guaranteed anything in football. You learn that from being in the game. If it was my choice, then Eddie has enough in the bank to start next season. I think that without any doubt. Considering where we were when he came in, to where we are now, that is enough for the ownership to have trust and belief in him.
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James M asked: Who would you think would be the best option for Liverpool’s next manager?
Shearer: The intriguing thing is Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are all looking for a new manager — and I don’t think they’re the only big jobs that will become available this summer. With the job that Xabi Alonso is doing this season at Bayer Leverkusen, he’ll have a pick of jobs if he wants them. That’s the obvious link that loads of people have already made, given Alonso played for Liverpool.
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Alan B asked: What’s the best stadium you’ve played in for atmosphere?
Shearer: Other than St James’ Park… the best England atmosphere I had was at Euro 96 at Wembley against Holland. At club level, I always enjoyed the atmosphere at Anfield because of the certain respect you get there, which perhaps you may not get at other big clubs.
This wasn’t during my playing days but I will never, ever forget the atmosphere for Liverpool vs Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019, when I did the (BBC radio) co-commentary, when they came from 3-0 behind on aggregate to win 4-3. Electric.
(Top photos: Getty Images)