One mother’s disappointment is another’s joy. Whilst Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire were not competing for the same space, the widespread incredulity at Thomas Tuchel’s decision to include one and not the other is a shared feature, and it serves to highlight a process that resulted in some wild decisions.
No Cole Palmer, no Morgan Gibbs-White, no Phil Foden, no Adam Wharton, no Trent Alexander-Arnold, no chance? We’ll see soon enough.
Zoe Maguire was “disgusted” at her son’s exclusion, describing it as “disgraceful”. Maguire has been a central figure in the stabilising of Manchester United under Michael Carrick, a pattern recognised by Tuchel with his inclusion in the 55-man pre-squad shortlist.
However, the trail ran cold during the whittling process. No such anxiety in the Henderson clan. We can only assume the delight of Liz, an ardent supporter of her son’s career, who – like the majority – must have assumed his days among England’s elite were over when he parked Liverpool for Saudi Arabia.
Tuchel will be hailed as a genius if he pulls it off (Photo: AP)The bizarre retention of Henderson will be an obvious lightning rod for the coming discontent should Tuchel’s campaign evolve along conventional English lines. The inestimable Roy Keane had his number while Henderson was still a Liverpool player, wondering at his inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s 2020 Euros squad when not fully recovered from injury.
“I’ve heard people say they want him around the place. For what? Does he do card tricks? Does he have a sing-song? Does he do quizzes in the evenings?” The circumstances are different here, but not the perspicacity of the observation, which has even greater application for a player so obviously inferior to candidates left behind.
Tuchel has alluded to Henderson’s leadership qualities, his experience and generalship – effectively a father figure, both of the squad and above it, a pair of knowing eyes and ears among the group. All well and good but not at the expense of an active agent who might contribute significantly on the pitch.
Henderson could fulfil any prefect or pastoral role as a member of the coaching squad. In what world are Phil Foden, Adam Wharton, and even Alex Scott doing keepie-uppies on a beach whilst Henderson is holding court in Kansas?
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The seven most shocking calls in England’s 26-man World Cup squad Bruno Fernandes, Antoine Semenyo, David Raya: Our writers’ Player of the YearWho would have thought association with a substandard Saudi Arabian league had such value? The return of Ivan Toney is almost as weird as Henderson’s. Yes there is a shortage of slick predators to fill the space of Harry Kane, yet at least the Premier League is a reliable indicator of levels.
Or maybe, playing in a furnace every week with a knack for slotting penalties is more important should you be required to spring a trap late in games.
There is about Tuchel a mercurial quality that is hard to grasp. It can be hard to identify the architectural levers of his thinking. The truth of what is said and what is really going is seemingly out of reach.
Tuchel will be afforded a seat on Mount Olympus alongside the other coaching gods should he pull this off. If, however, England submit to the old ennui without the likes of Palmer, Gibbs-White, Foden, Wharton et all, Henderson and Toney will cop it just as much as him.
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