It seems that after he has been on the fringes of the Manchester United team all season under Jose Mourinho, Wayne Rooney has also been sidelined for international duties by new manager Gareth Southgate.
Rooney record-breaker
Rooney has enjoyed a 14-year career with the Three Lions and has become their most capped outfield player of all time with 119 caps. He is also England's top goal scorer with 53, after breaking Sir Bobby Charlton's long-standing record of 50, with a penalty against Switzerland. Being left out of the squad is nothing new for Rooney after he was omitted for games against Lithuania and Germany recently but manager Southgate insisted that that decision was due to Rooney's lack of match fitness.
England squad
United youngster Marcus Rashford secures a place in the senior squad despite Southgate wanting him to represent the Under 21s. After discussions with Jose Mourinho however, it was agreed that Rashford should miss the U 21 tournament in Poland. Jack Butland makes a welcome return after almost an entire season out through injury, the Stoke City goalkeeper will be joined by Fraser Forster, Joe Hart and Tom Heaton.
Tottenham right-back Keiran Trippier is named in the squad for the first time and may well earn his first cap in the qualifier against Scotland on 10th June. He is joined by other first-timers West Ham's Aaron Cresswell and Middlesbrough's Ben Gibson.
Jermain Defoe keeps his place after proving he is a natural goalscorer and possibly the one positive to come out of a dismal season for Sunderland.
In attack, Southgate has an embarrassment of riches despite the non-availability through injury of Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge. He can still include the Premier League's Golden Boot winner Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy to accompany Rashford and Defoe.
In midfield, Southgate has gone for the quality that has driven Spurs all season in Delle Alli and Eric Dier alongside Adam Lallana and Jake Livermore of West Brom.
England's games
England's next opponents are Scotland in a qualifier for the World Cup 2018 on June 10th. Currently, England sit top of the group with 13 points after five games and Scotland lie fourth with seven points. The next game is a friendly against France at The Stade de France and Southgate is keen to further the ambition he has for friendlies of "playing the best possible teams" as the team has already played Spain and Germany.
World Cup 2018
Sitting at the top of the table England look set to qualify for next year's FIFA World Cup in Russia. Once there it remains to be seen whether Gareth Southgate can coax more from his team than his predecessors have managed.
