Chris Waddle believes that Newcastle United’s Jonjo Shelvey should be involved in the England set-up.
England rounded off their World Cup qualifying campaign with an uninspiring 1-0 win in Lithuania that is unlikely to live long in the memory of those who watched it.
Gareth Southgate made a number of changes for the game, handing several fringe players their chance. But there was no place in the squad for Shelvey, who has just six caps to his name following his debut for the senior side back in 2012.
And Waddle believes that the Magpies man should be more involved in the Three Lions set-up given that he brings something different to the table to what the players that Southgate has kept faith with bring.
“I mentioned Jonjo Shelvey of Newcastle on BBC Radio 5 Live the other night. He’s our best long-range passer but we don’t pick him for off-field reasons when we need him to give us something different,” he told the Mail.
“Instead, we’ve kicked every bit of imagination out of our modern-day players and we’re left with an average team.”
Though Shelvey has endured a mixed season so far, having been sent off in Newcastle’s first game back in the Premier League, he showed in his most recent appearance for Rafa Benitez’s men that he has the ability to make a devastating impact.
It was his pinpoint pass that allowed Joselu to bag the Magpies’ equaliser against Liverpool, and Waddle clearly believes that that ability to pick out a lethal pass would make him an asset for England.