Gareth Southgate explains Eric Dier omission from England squad for UEFA Euro 2020
Speaking to Sky Sports, England national team manager, Gareth Southgate, has explained why he had to leave out Tottenham defender Eric Dier from the squad for the upcoming Euro 2020.
The European Championships will take place in the coming month after having been postponed from last year due to the pandemic. And, on Tuesday, England manager Gareth Southgate named his provisional squad for the Euro 2020, selecting 33 probables, before he whittles down the list closer to the tournament.
Tottenham superstar Harry Kane made the cut, given as he is the captain of the England national team. However, there were other Tottenham players that were overlooked for the squad. The likes of Dele Alli, Harry Winks were omitted by Southgate, which is understandable given how sparingly the midfield duo had played this season.
Another Spurs’ star who did not make the cut was Eric Dier. A prominent member of the England national team in recent years, Dier has done a job in midfield and in defence for the Three Lions. However, Southgate revealed that the former Sporting Lisbon ace hadn’t done enough in the 2020/21 campaign to earn a spot for the Euros. (h/t Sky Sports)
“He’s a man who I have tremendous respect for. He has been a key player on some of our biggest nights and biggest moments. Unfortunately, I don’t think his season has been strong enough to be in the squad and that’s a difficult call because I know how much he brings to the whole group.
“When you are away at a tournament, those team players and those that put the team first are critical. So, that wasn’t an easy conversation. But he’s an outstanding professional and he took the news in a really professional way.”
Ahead of naming his final #EURO2020 squad next week, Gareth Southgate has selected 33 players to join up with the #ThreeLions from this weekend as our preparations for this summer's tournament get under way.
— England (@England) May 25, 2021
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Dier has had an ordinary season despite having started out on a promising note. With the likes of Ben White and Ben Godfrey impressing in 2020/21, it was always going to be hard for the Tottenham man to hold on to his place in the England squad.
