Football
Jason Dasey 8y

England need Leicester City spirit at Euro 2016 says Steve McMahon

Former Liverpool captain Steve McMahon says that England should adopt the spirit of Leicester City at June's Euro 2016 finals in France, with their minimum requirement being a semifinal appearance.

McMahon, who represented England at Euro 1988 and the 1990 World Cup, added that Leicester's bold run towards an inaugural Premier League title meant that striker Jamie Vardy and midfielder Danny Drinkwater deserved inclusion.

"If you play like Leicester City, then anything can happen," McMahon told ESPN FC in Kuala Lumpur where he works as technical advisor for local outfit, Frenz United.

"Change can be good. England have changed it over the last three or four months and have got better and better. I'd like England to play a bit like Leicester in France, with freedom, passion and commitment."

McMahon added that Tottenham Hotspur's youthful pairing of 20-year-old Dele Alli and Harry Kane, 22, must be picked on form ahead of more experienced attackers.

England manager Roy Hodgson should also leave West Ham's Andy Carroll out of the squad, urged McMahon, and start with Manchester United veteran Wayne Rooney on the bench. Carroll scored his fourth goal in just two Premier League games as West Ham held league leading, Leicester, to a 2-2 draw on Sunday night.

"I just hope that Roy Hodgson is really brave and goes down the youth track," McMahon said.

"We've got Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Vardy, and Drinkwater, Let's play them. The key word is being passionate. Youngsters have always got that.

"And of course, they're not kids, as such. Harry Kane has had two very successful seasons in the Premier League and Vardy is 28 so he's not a kid.

"You're not talking about 21 or 22 year olds here. There's inexperience maybe, but they're no longer kids.

"You've got to move on. England have been in a transitional period and I think they have settled into that really well."

When McMahon played for England at Euro 1988, they failed to advance from the group stages after a shock 1-0 loss to Ireland in their opening game. But two years later at Italia '90, they progressed to the semifinals, before losing a penalty shoot-out against the Germans.

He'd be happy if the 2016 side matched the achievements of Bobby Robson's team from 26 years ago.

"I'm tipping them for the semifinals and once they get there, anything can happen," McMahon said.

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