Sturridge ahead of Rooney, Kane and Vardy in Euro 2016 race
The Liverpool striker is only an hour into his comeback but has been touted as England's saviour
Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge made his long-awaited return from injury against West Ham in the FA Cup on Tuesday and has been hailed as a tonic for his club and country - even though the Reds lost and he failed to score.
With Euro 2016 four months away and the injury-prone striker just an hour into his comeback, former England managerial candidate Harry Redknapp is calling for Sturridge to be installed as Roy Hodgson's main man.
"Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy have had fine seasons for their clubs but if Daniel Sturridge can get himself fit again, he has to lead England’s attack," he writes in the Evening Standard.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"He is that good. In all honesty, he is probably England’s best player. He is a matchwinner and sometimes he does things that you see only Lionel Messi and Neymar do."
Former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers agrees and claimed this week that a fit Sturridge should be ahead of Vardy, Kane and even Wayne Rooney in the England pecking order.
"He has genuine world class ability. When fit, there's not too many better than him," he said, according to the Daily Mirror.
Sturridge can match the finishing, pace and temperament of his three rivals, he adds. "It is hard to rule out Daniel because he offers so much. He can score a goal in a flash and has got all the attributes."
That is bad news for the current England forwards, says Michael Owen, who describes Sturridge as their "fly in the ointment".
However, the former player also touched on Sturridge's Achilles heel. "He held the [England] shirt before he got injured, so he would be right in amongst it," said Owen, as reported in the Daily Express. "But he is running out of time and, with a dozen games left, if he got injured between now and the end of the season, you would have to say it is not going to happen."
He also urged Liverpool to be more open about Sturridge's injuries. The lack of information about his condition has been "fuelling a lot of rumours", he said. "People are saying things that are potentially unfair."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Oysters from New York's past could shore up its future
Under the Radar Project aims to seed a billion oysters in the city's waterways to improve water quality, fight coastal erosion and protect against storm surges
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - November 24, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - taped bananas, flying monkeys, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Spanish cop, 20 million euros and 13 tonnes of cocaine
In the Spotlight Óscar Sánchez Gil, Chief Inspector of Spain's Economic and Tax Crimes Unit, has been arrested for drug trafficking
By The Week UK Published
-
The wit and wisdom of Sven-Göran Eriksson
In Depth The first foreign coach to manage England on football, life and death
By The Week Staff Published
-
Can England's Euros team hold their nerve?
Today's Big Question Three Lions' 'lopsided' opening win over Serbia raises more questions than it answers
By The Week UK Published
-
The England kit: a furore over the flag
Why everyone's talking about Nike's redesign of the St George's Cross on the collar of the English national team's shirt has caused controversy
By The Week UK Published
-
Lionesses will have regrets but their legacy can be ‘incredible’
feature England stars return home after heartbreaking Women’s World Cup final loss to Spain
By Mike Starling Published
-
How English women’s football could become a billion pound industry
feature Building on the success of the Lionesses won’t be easy but it is eminently possible
By The Week Staff Published
-
Lionesses dig deep after Lauren James’s ‘Beckham-esque’ red card
feature England reach the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after a 4-2 win on penalties against Nigeria
By Mike Starling Published
-
Curse of the Lionesses: what’s causing spate of England women’s football injuries?
Under the Radar Several key players are out of the World Cup, raising concerns about hectic schedules, sub-par pitches and sexism
By Harriet Marsden Published
-
‘Captain fantastic’: Harry Kane’s most memorable England goals
feature Kane has overtaken Wayne Rooney as the Three Lions’s all-time leading goalscorer
By Mike Starling Published