Why Tom Cleverley (and others) SHOULD be in Hodgson’s squad

The announcement of Roy Hodgson’s 30-man squad for tonight’s friendly with Denmark was greeted with a predictable chorus of complaints, despite the fact it appears a reasonable selection – a mix of promising youngsters and established stars, and, more importantly, a balance between club form and past international performance.

That balance is frequently misunderstood when it comes to international squad selection. Peculiarly, no-one ever remembers the performances of individuals in past England matches, which is obviously a decent barometer of how they might perform in future England matches – in the same system, with the same team-mates, under the same manager, with the same level of pressure and expectation.

Instead, selecting the England squad seems to have become, in the minds of many, little more than a Fantasy Team exercise incorporating the last couple of months of performances at club level. There’s even an insistence amongst some that Hodgson should literally pick the best XI on form, which clearly isn’t the correct way to build a settled, reliable side.

Take Tom Cleverley, for example. It’s quite obvious that the Manchester United midfielder hasn’t been performing at club level. While his complaints about being scapegoated are probably justified, that doesn’t excuse the fact he’s been underperforming over the last year. His recent form has been particularly bad, and the fact Manchester United have lost five and drawn one of his last six starts is a shocking indictment upon his displays.

Yet Cleverley played a major part in England’s qualification process. Of the eight qualifiers he was fit for, Cleverley started six and appeared as a substitute in another. He wasn’t spectacular, granted, but his role in the side isn’t to be spectacular – he was tidy, efficient and helped England move the ball across the midfield quickly.

He performed the job Hodgson asked of him, and therefore merits his place in this 30-man squad.

Jermain Defoe is another. It’s unusual to include a player who has recently decamped to the MLS, certainly, and Defoe’s lack of Premier League minutes (and goals) at Tottenham is clearly not an ideal situation. But again, he did the job required in the qualifiers. He played 315 minutes and scored three goals in open play – only Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck managed more. It would be slightly unfair, and poor man-management, for Hodgson drop a player who has played well for him in the past.

Perhaps the most obvious example, however, is Andros Townsend. The winger was superb in England’s two final qualification matches, creating the first goal for Wayne Rooney in the crucial 4-1 win over Montenegro with an excellent run down the right, before adding a fine late goal himself. He was similarly dangerous in the 2-0 win over Poland, and consistently showed an ability to go down the line, as well as cut inside onto his favoured left foot – more of a varied approach than he takes at Tottenham.

England, after all, play a completely different style of football under Hodgson, compared to the strategy favoured by Andre Villas-Boas or Tim Sherwood. Hodgson likes deep defending and rapid attacking down the flanks. Villas-Boas wanted high pressure and possession football, while Sherwood doesn’t appear to have a defined tactical plan. It’s hardly unreasonable to think that a direct, pacey winger might simply be suited to one system more than the other, and therefore it’s entirely natural for Hodgson to select Townsend again.

International coaches, more than anyone else, understandably place a huge emphasis upon how players have performed under them previously. It’s partly a tactical thing, of course, but it’s also simply about man-management. How would a player feel if he was dropped by a manager he’d previously performed well for, simply because he was struggling in entirely different circumstances for a different side? The personal relationship between player and manager is crucial.

This doesn’t mean the likes of Cleverley, Defoe and Townsend should be certain of a place in Brazil.

Their under-performance at club level shouldn’t be entirely ignored. However, it’s precisely matches like tonight’s friendly against Denmark which are perfect for testing whether they can replicate past England performances, despite poor form. If not, other options should be considered.

Nevertheless, the staggering emphasis upon club performances is immensely frustrating considering the national side’s woes in recent years. Arguably England’s major problem over the last decade is the inability of star individuals to successfully transfer their performances from club level to international level. If Frank Lampard had brought his Chelsea form, Steven Gerrard had brought his Liverpool form, Paul Scholes had brought his Manchester United form, and so on, England would have progressed further than the quarter-final stage at a major tournament.

Sometimes star international performers are the ones you least expect. If Townsend, for example, plays well for England yet again tonight, he should be in Hodgson’s squad for the World Cup – even if he barely starts for Spurs in the remainder of the campaign. He’s consistently shown an ability to carry out the tasks that will be required at the World Cup.

If you’re confused why a particular off-form player is in this England squad, the answer is almost certainly very simple: he’s played well for England.