England crashed to their first qualifying loss in ten years last night when they went down to a 2-1 defeat away to the Czech Republic.
Victory would have secured Gareth Southgate’s side a place in next summer’s Euro 2020 tournament, but instead, the wait goes on.
While Harry Kane and Danny Rose both were in the starting eleven with Harry Winks on the bench, their Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Dele Alli was not included in the squad.
Dele missed the start of the season with a left hamstring problem which was the fourth time in the last two years in which he has suffered a strain (Guardian).
The 23-year-old has since hired a nutritionist and started yoga sessions in a bid to overcome the recurring problem whilst also reducing his off-field commercial activities in order to get back to his best (The Mirror).
Ahead of the match at the Sinobo Stadium, Roy Keane claimed that Dele Alli should have dropped his commercial activities twelve months ago and is now in serious risk of losing his place in the England setup.
Other bright young talents including Mason Mount and James Maddison have impressed this season and become part of Southgate’s plans.
ITV presenter Mark Pougatch told ITV during the live broadcast of the match from 7pm on 11/10/2019: “If you’re [Jesse]Lingard or Dele Alli, interesting Dele Alli this week, getting rid of all of his commercial activities, realising that maybe he’s at a bit of a tipping point of his career: ‘hang on a second, I was the bright young thing at Tottenham and England and that’s not the case any longer’.”
Keane responded: “Yeah, we saw the signs with one or two of these young players you mentioned who have disappeared,”
“They should have done that about a year ago. And they mightn’t get a chance to get back in [now], that’s what happens in football.
“Timing, these young lads in England, take your opportunity and let these lads fall by the wayside.”
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