It's almost a bit of a tradition for England football managers that there's at least one player in a finals squad that's a young hyped phenom. In 2006 it was the 17-year-old Theo Walcott. In 1998 it was Michael Owen. In 2004 it was Wayne Rooney.
Most people expected England's Euro 2016 squad to feature Marcus Rashford. The United teenager has had a great start to life in the Premier League - but almost as soon as he scored his first goal for Man United he was linked with a senior England call-up. He hadn't even played for the England U-21's at that point.
It's a bit remarkable then, that England manager Roy Hodgson is hinting at doing the right thing and dampening the already overwhelming hype surrounding Rashford by saying he probably won't be in the squad. Hodgson will name his squad on May 12th - three weeks away - and the 18-year-old will miss out for more established names like Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane, and Jamie Vardy.
Hodgson has said he's impressed with Rashford's form, but feels that the tournament has come too soon for him:
I am sure that if there were enough spaces available and if we were taking 30, we'd certainly probably be considering him. But when it's 23 and we've already got a bit of a headache with the front players, in terms of who can we take, who we might have to leave out to put another one in there, who is 18 years of age, is asking a lot.
I have been impressed with him, but as far as the senior national team is concerned, I think it would be a very bold decision to put him in and I think it would mean possibly leaving someone behind who at the moment, in my opinion, has more reason to be called up.
It's strange to hear an England manager talk with so much sense - Rashford would benefit from either getting more experience with the U-21's or getting ready for his first pre-season with his club.
But then Hodgson remembered he was the England manager, and things returned to normal:
But you never know. The fact is it would be foolish as well to say 'no, no, he's not ready - he can't do it'. I am sure he could do it.
It's never that simple with England is it?
