Everton’s Frustration Over Branthwaite is Justified, But England’s Evolution Has Surprised Even Southgate

Gareth Southgate has largely demonstrated boldness and courage in selecting his Euro 2024 squad. However, Jarrad Branthwaite fell victim to his single ‘safe’ call.

When Southgate discussed the “evolution” and “refreshing” of England’s team between tournaments in the summer of 2023, it seemed he was speaking of a different squad. The 25 players chosen for the European qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia included 20 who had been picked for the World Cup six months earlier. Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were the youngest but highly experienced. Only four outfield players with five caps or fewer were selected, among them 31-year-old Lewis Dunk, James Maddison, and Callum Wilson, who watched the disappointing quarter-final defeat to France from the bench.

Marc Guehi was the sole example of “evolution” in the early stages of a qualifying campaign, which included starts for Maddison, Kalvin Phillips, Jordan Henderson, and Ben Chilwell.

Of England’s 26 players, twelve are headed to their first international tournament, five received their first cap this year, and two of the starting XI and all four substitutes from England’s last major tournament match are absent. Thirteen of those selected for the 2022 World Cup did not make the cut for Euro 2024.

This is a remarkable level of change from a manager often criticized for relying on a core group of favorites. Only ten of the 20 players Southgate has used most often as England manager will join him in Germany. This is not a conservative squad; difficult decisions have been made throughout.

If the manager and national team were not so closely linked, these choices would seem like those of a coach’s final tournament squad: a mix of necessary relics from a successful past, faith in those presently excelling, and nods to an exciting future.

Scrutiny can always find flaws. Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo’s inclusion is a bold statement against critics using Southgate’s initial interview sentiments against him. The ‘form versus reputation’ debate has been quieted by the eventual exclusion of Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson. Both players made it easier for Southgate with their personal decisions, but no one can deny their 112 international caps were replaced by two players who began the season as teenagers without a Premier League start between them.

Jack Grealish’s omission has caused ‘shock,’ but it is justifiable. England’s attack is blessed, and his direct competitors had far better seasons. The same applies to Marcus Rashford, even though their unique qualities would likely have only earned them spots on the bench.

Southgate will soon realize he cannot avoid public demands, as they will only shift to another player. Nonetheless, he deserves credit for being proactive.

When the biggest controversies are Dunk being chosen over Jarrad Branthwaite and Ivan Toney beating Dominic Solanke for a spot as the non-playing striker backup, it speaks volumes.

Harry Maguire’s injury seemingly opened the door for Branthwaite as the left-sided center-half but shut it on the grounds that England were losing a trusted player. The suspicion remains that while Dunk may not be of international elite quality, he is an older, more familiar presence in the squad. Despite Everton supporters’ protests, this decision is defensible.

The challenge for Southgate – despite his strong communication skills – lies in his public explanations. Can it really be “a bit early” for a center-half with Champions League experience who has completed his second full season in elite top-flight football? Why do “we need players who are fit and ready to go from the start” apply to Maguire but not to Luke Shaw or other injury-prone players?

These are annoying inconsistencies that come with the complexities of subjective decisions over a 26-man squad. However, these opinions have some form of rationalization; the handling of Henderson’s situation remains a regrettable and avoidable misstep in an otherwise bold cycle.

In fairness to Southgate, neither he nor anyone else could have predicted the rapid evolution of the midfield in recent months. “Sometimes you perhaps regenerate the group more than you were expecting a couple of months ago,” the manager said. He deserves credit for riding these waves of momentum rather than trying to resist them.