Kane, Sterling and Co can fire England to Euro 2020 glory… but Sancho would not make my squad

THIS England team is as exciting as any side in Europe.

Any manager would like to have Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford.

Harry Kane netted in all eight Euro 2020 qualifiers, with captaincy clearly not affecting his all-round game

Home advantage for the last two games, if England make them, can inspire Euro 2020 success, says Alan Shearer

But Gareth Southgate can also choose from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Mason Mount, Jadon Sancho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tammy Abraham, James Maddison and others.

The way they attack and go forward, with those options, means they can and will score against anybody.

Although losing the 2018 World Cup semi-final was a disappointment, we are a better team now and have carried on and battered everybody in Group A.

It was an easy qualifying group but that’s not England’s fault. You can only beat what’s in front of you and they’ve scored goals for fun.

Now it’s the real task. But England start with three group games at Wembley and I know what that can do for you as a player.

Once you get on a run, with that momentum and crowd behind you — the feel-good factor with the nation pushing— you’re on to something special.

If the atmosphere at Wembley is roaring like it was in 1996 when we reached the semi-finals, then anything is possible.

For me it was great to see Harry Kane score again in Kosovo.

He scored five in his first 17 games but since he was made captain he’s scored 25 in 24 games with the armband. That tells you how much he’s enjoying it and how proud he feels to be England captain.

He wants Europe to be looking at him, so he can say: “I’m England captain — try and stop me!”

Some players don’t like the extra responsibility, the pressure and burden of people looking at them.

Harry loves it. He is relishing the job. The manager feels he is the go-to guy when you need a goal, someone to produce something special, to be in the right place at the right time.

Sancho has played well in England’s qualifying campaign but Shearer would not take him to Euro 20202Credit: Reuters

Joe Gomez getting a regular run in the Liverpool side would be a major boost to England for the Euro finalsCredit: PA:Empics Sport

In that England shirt Harry just feels he’s going to score goals. That’s a great feeling to have.

At Euro 96, once I scored in the first game against Switzerland, I felt I was on a roll. There’s no better feeling.

My worries are defensively. Kosovo had chances bigger and better teams would take. There was some sloppy defending, especially from set-pieces.

But we’ll be asking the question about whether we can cope with the best between now and next summer and we won’t know the answer until we meet top-quality opposition in June.

Gareth has made the big defensive shape change since the World Cup in going from a three to a four.

He still has a decision to make over the centre-half pairing. It would really help if Joe Gomez can play regularly for Liverpool. That’s going to be difficult but he can play right-back as well.

If Gareth had to pick the squad now he’d have an easy task but he will be looking at central defence and the sitting midfield position and asking other players to force their way in.

In those attacking midfield positions, James Maddison hasn’t had a full opportunity as yet but he’s got a really good chance before the summer.

There’s no doubt he has the ability. So does Jack Grealish but it’s going to be difficult for Phil Foden to get into the City team.

Dele Alli needs to regain his form of 18 months ago to deserve a place in the finals next summerCredit: Getty – Contributor

Dele Alli hasn’t been in recently, if he gets back to the form he was in 18 months ago there’s a space for him. If he can’t though, it’s not such a big blow.

Up front, Tammy Abraham has had a great start to his first Premier League season at Chelsea, an incredible three months.

His movement is excellent and he is full of confidence. To be on ten goals in the middle of November is a great achievement so I think he will be in.

I’d have Callum Wilson as well.

The youngsters who are on the fringes know they will be given chances with this manager if they are performing. There’s no favouritism.

It’s down to them to perform and say: “I want a shirt. I want to be part of something that could be very special next summer”.

A lot of this squad got to the semi- finals in Russia. That can only be a good thing — and they are also so young.

They have a great opportunity next summer. I know from personal experience how good that can be.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk