Roy Hodgson: 'Ross Barkley not ready to start for England'

By Steven Toplis, Reporter | 09 June 2015

England boss Roy Hodgson warns Ross Barkley that he needs to produce more influential performances if he is to be a starter for the Three Lions.

England manager Roy Hodgson has told Ross Barkley that he must deliver more influential performances if he is to earn a starting place.

The Everton midfielder came off the bench during the second half of Sunday's goalless draw with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

England face Slovenia in a Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday, and Hodgson has revealed that he is unlikely to start Barkley in Ljubljana because other midfielders are better suited to his preferred system.

"At the moment for those three midfield positions at the moment I will choose between [Jack] Wilshere, [Jordan] Henderson, [James] Milner and [Fabian] Delph for the next game," the England boss told the London Evening Standard.

"I don't want to try to push Ross Barkley into another position other than one of those three positions, or one where I don't think he is capable of playing or feel comfortable.

"He has never played wide, he has never done that. He has to knock one of those four off his perch, that is his job."

Barkley has started in just two of his 13 England appearances to date.