Gary Lineker has named Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff among some of the bright young English players he expects to make a big impact for the national side in the future.
The midfielder has been sidelined since coming off against West Ham at half time at the beginning of March, but Lineker has still suggested that he can be a regular for the Three Lions one day.
Taking to Twitter after the 5-1 demolition of Montenegro last night, he said: “England are good. Will be better.
“Some have been around for a while…Sterling, Kane, Stones, Maguire, Walker, Trippier, Rashford….
“Then there’s Alexander-Arnold, Foden, Hudson-Odoi, Gomez, Sancho, Rice, Nelson, Longstaff, Gibbs-White, Clarke, Chilwell, Greenwood. I could go on.”
England are good. Will be better. Some have been around for a while…Sterling, Kane, Stones, Maguire, Walker, Trippier, Rashford….then there’s Alexander-Arnold, Foden, Hudson-Odoi, Gomez, Sancho, Rice, Nelson, Longstaff, Gibbs-White, Clarke, Chilwell, Greenwood. I could go on
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 25, 2019
OPINION
It’s hard to remember a time when the national team was as full to the brim with young, exciting prospects. For every player that Lineker has named here, there are probably two more that he could have mentioned. It’s nice to see Sean Longstaff getting some credit though, and it has been absolutely deserved thus far. It may have been a fleeting glimpse at what he can do, but during that spell between Boxing Day and March 2nd, he was an absolute revelation for the Magpies. He was mature and assured on the ball, and looked every inch an international in the making. His injury came at such a gutting time for the youngster, but his attitude seems to be spot on, and you would expect him to come back better and stronger than ever next season. The difference will be the hype surrounding him upon his return, but he looks good enough and level-headed enough to take that in his stride, and as the recent inclusions of Declan Rice, Jadon Sancho, and Callum Hudson-Odoi have shown, if Gareth Southgate thinks you’re good enough, he’s willing to take a gamble on you.
