Euro 2016

Thierry Henry: 'Tottenham Hotspur players could lose nerve at Euro 2016'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 08 June 2016

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry believes that England's Tottenham contingent could lose their nerve at Euro 2016, and earmarks Wayne Rooney as the man to calm them.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has suggested that England's Tottenham Hotspur contingent could lose their nerve at Euro 2016 this summer.

Spurs saw their Premier League title challenge ended by Chelsea towards the latter stages of the 2015-16 campaign, squandering a two-goal lead at Stamford Bridge in an ill-tempered affair that resulted in Leicester City clinching the title.

Henry fears that a similar scenario in France could result in the same reactions from the Spurs players, and believes that England captain Wayne Rooney will be the man to calm them down.

"The young Tottenham players showed me something I had not seen before in that game with Chelsea – and that was nerves. Maybe, when they get into another situation where those nerves surface again, Rooney will be the guy who can calm them down," Henry told reporters.

"He got himself sent off against Portugal in 2006, so he knows what they are feeling and that is why England still need Wayne Rooney – because some of those Tottenham guys, and I won't name names, showed their nerves because they were about to lose something.

"Maybe if they had kept their nerve, they would have scored that third goal against Chelsea to keep the title race alive, and that is why you still need Rooney around."

Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Harry Kane - none of whom have featured at a major international tournament before - will all represent Spurs for England this summer.