Roy Hodgson: 'Gareth Southgate can pick anyone for European Under-21 Championship'

By Callum Mulvihill, Reporter | 20 November 2014

England manager Roy Hodgson confirms that Gareth Southgate will be able to take any eligible member of the senior squad to the European Under-21 Championship next summer.

England manager Roy Hodgson has insisted that he will not stop Gareth Southgate from picking anyone for next summer's European Under-21 Championship.

The senior squad meet the Republic of Ireland in Dublin and play a Euro 2016 qualifier away to Slovenia in the space of eight days next June, but Hodgson claims that those games will not prevent Southgate from selecting the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

"It is very simple. My policy is this - after Gareth has picked his squad, I will pick my squad. I will take whatever is left," the England boss told reporters.

"He can pick any Under-21s who are available and I will take the rest. He will speak to me, tell me what he wants to do. I can't be fairer than to say it is his choice.

"Whether he will want to take all these players that is up to him, that's another matter. You will have to speak to him."

Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers and John Stones have played for the senior squad in recent months, but all three have been tipped to travel to the Czech Republic for the tournament.