More than 30 players from England’s second tier will be representing their countries at Euro 2016.
By Paula Marcus
It’s that time of year when most Championship players are packing their bags ready for their summer holidays, but this year some have been packing for a very different reason.
This summer, thanks principally to Northern Ireland’s qualification, over 30 players from the Football League will be heading to France to represent their countries in Euro 2016. So who are these players and how likely is it that they will be making it onto the pitch?
The success of the home nations this year has certainly helped boost the Football League’s interest in the Euro’s. Whilst it is no surprise that these players feature heavily for some of the teams, the fact that one has made it into the England side is slightly unexpected. It’s probably fair to say that had Jack Butland not fractured his ankle, there would not be a Championship inclusion, but that should not detract from the huge achievement of Burnley’s Tom Heaton. It always seemed most likely that were England to come looking outside the top flight, it would be for someone to fill in between the sticks, after all, goalkeepers face shots and it doesn’t really matter if it’s a Premier League or Football League player behind them.
With almost half the Northern Ireland squad coming from the Football League, that’s probably the best place to start. When looking through their squad, there is one player that really stands out, and the fact he plays for Reading is just a slight coincidence. Oliver Norwood was one of two players to feature in all 10 group games and he played the most minutes during qualification. He was also selected for all of the team’s record breaking unbeaten run and, having seen his right foot in action, it’s no surprise. What would be a surprise is if he begins next season in the Championship.
Also likely to feature is veteran defender Chris Baird, who spent last season on loan at Fulham. The popular defender has been a key part of the Northern Ireland set up for the past 13 years, and has really earned the chance to play in the finals. Up front Birmingham City’s Kyle Lafferty is the main goal threat, and he finished qualifying as the group’s top scorer with an impressive seven goals. Despite an injury scare in training, it is expected he will be fit for the opening game against Poland.
One of the big stories leading into the finals is the performance of Fleetwood Town’s Conor McLaughlin. The League One player missed just a single game in qualifying, and is one of only a handful of players outside the Championship to feature (another being his team mate Luke McCullogh from Doncaster Rovers). A good performance in France and it’s likely McLaughlin will be snapped up by a higher placed team.
Next up are the Republic of Ireland and their nine Championship selectees. The most likely of these players to feature for the boys in green are Derby duo Richard Keogh and Jeff Hendrick. With the Reublic of Ireland finishing third in their group, Keogh played a key part in both playoff games against Bosnia and Herzegovina, picking up a lot of credit for his performance and a Talksport man of the match award, Hendrick has been touted as ‘the next big thing’ as the 24 year old has grown into his position in the senior side.
Wales selected an impressive ten Championship players in their final squad, although like the Republic of Ireland, only two of these players are likely to be starters for the side. Whilst highlighting the efforts of Norwood might have been based purely on his outings in qualifying, discussing the merits of Chris Gunter, also of Reading, is probably done with a tad more bias. I’m not going to lie, if I could have a team of Gunter’s I would. He isn’t a flashy player, and probably doesn’t have the skill of some, but he is a player that will always give his all and I respect that about him. At the age of 26 he is the most capped player in the Wales squad, so apparently I’m not the only one who loves him.
Soon to be ex-Reading forward/midfielder Hal Robson-Kanu is also expected to feature heavily. He tends to play ahead of Bale and Ramsey in a lone striker role, where his running and ability to hold up the ball are a lot more vital than his ability to score goals (he currently has just two goals in 30 games). Likely back up options include Burnley’s Sam Vokes and MK Don’s Simon Church, two other players with less than ideal scoring records.
It isn’t just home nations that have selected players from outside the top flight. Iceland midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsoon is at League One bound Charlton Athletic, and he featured in seven of the ten qualifying games. He is likely to play alongside his Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson of Cardiff City. Gunnarsson may not have ended the season in the best club form, but he is a key player for the national side.
Although slightly less likely to start for the first team, the Czech Republic have included Jiri Skalak from Brighton and Hove Albion and Watford’s Daniel Pudil, who spent last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday. Skalak only made his international debut a year ago, but has been used to great effect as an impact sub and is expected to get some time on the pitch. Pudil is also expected to add to his 32 caps during the tournament, with coach Pavel Vrba tending to pick him in an attacking midfield role.
It’s great for the Football League that players selected for this years Euro finals aren’t just there to make up numbers, and now it’s up to them to do the Championship, and their countries, proud. So good luck to all involved, may you have a successful, injury free tournament.
Listen to Paula’s latest Championship podcast at Premier Punditry.