‘May as well book his holiday’ – Rooney names England star who won’t make Tuchel’s World Cup squad | OneFootball

Jack Grealish “may as well book his holiday” as there is little chance England boss Thomas Tuchel selects him for the World Cup, according to Wayne Rooney.

The Three Lions beat Serbia 2-0 on Thursday evening with England picking up another three points having already qualified for the World Cup from their group.

Tuchel will already have an idea of what his squad will look like when the Three Lions travel to North America next year but there are still some players the former Chelsea boss is weighing up.

One of those won’t be Everton winger Grealish – who is currently on loan at Everton from Manchester City – according to Rooney, as he reckons Grealish would have been called up this time if he was under consideration.

The former England captain said on The Wayne Rooney Show: “Jack Grealish may as well book his holiday for the summer now because he’s not getting in the squad.

“You think Andy Gordon dropped out and he still doesn’t get called into it, so I think Thomas Tuchel is quite set.”

Rooney was also shocked that Tuchel decided to call up Harry Kane as the striker would have benefitted from some rest ahead of a busy schedule up until the World Cup.

The Man Utd and England legend added: “I think this international break was the perfect opportunity just to say to Harry Kane, ‘Go and have a week’s holiday’. He doesn’t need to be there.

“He’d want to be there but you need to take that option away from him and then it’s an opportunity for Thomas Tuchel to look at players and see what they can do.”

Tuchel tried Manchester City attacker Phil Foden at the top of pitch when Kane came off against Serbia and the England boss reckons he can play as a number nine comfortably.

The England head coach said of Foden: “If Phil stays in his shape and form, I have no problem [playing him as a No 9]. I have some other options in mind that I do not want to discuss in public.

“Don’t forget we have Ollie Watkins and [Danny] Welbeck, [who are maybe] more No 9s, also different options to Harry.

“We have many options but it will maybe be about who is in shape, what we have in the squad and how we share the minutes, who we play and what we expect from the match.”

When asked if Foden could challenge Kane for his shirt, Tuchel added: “Well, it’s a big ask to challenge Harry at the moment – he’s in the shape of his life. The attitude, the work rate, the quality and the finishing ratio is just out of control, out of this world.

“But even here, maybe [for Phil] to be an accomplice together with Harry and to share some minutes in decisive matches.”