Harry Redknapp identifies Gareth Southgate mistake after England open Euros with win
Harry Redknapp believes Gareth Southgate has made a mistake by not picking Jack Grealish for Euro 2024.
Grealish was one of seven players axed from England's preliminary squad on the eve of the tournament, with James Maddison, Curtis Jones, Harry Maguire, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah and James Trafford also dropped.
And after England kicked off the Euros with a nervy 1-0 win over Serbia that saw just 11 shots taken by both sides, the lowest on record in tournament history, Redknapp has suggested the Three Lions will miss Grealish.
"It's always difficult to pick who goes to a tournament but the squad Southgate has chosen is strong enough for us, in my opinion, to win the tournament," Redknapp told Sorare. "Harry Maguire, unfortunately, is injured – you know if Harry was fit he'd be in the starting 11, but he's out and there's nothing we can do about that.
"I'm a big James Maddison fan, but he has had injuries this year. He started the season fantastically well, got an injury, and never really came back in the same form again. We've got lots of people who can fit that role, though – Foden can play in the 10 for example.
"Grealish would be the one you think would have made it but Eze has been amazing at Crystal Palace, and the whole group of young players that have emerged this year have been really impressive.
"Cole Palmer's had a great season at Chelsea, I mean what a season, the goals he's scored, the assists. I would still take Jack personally but you can't please everybody."
Jack Grealish missed out on Gareth Southgate's squad for Euro 2024
Explaining his decision to drop both Grealish and Maddison, Southgate said he simply felt other players like Cole Palmer, Jarrod Bown and Ebere Eze were in better form. "We just feel other players had stronger seasons, particularly in the last six months or so," he said.
"Attacking areas, in particular, we're blessed with a lot of options, all slightly different. Madders and Jack both give us something different as well. They've been tough calls, calls that we as a group have gone over and over and over."
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