The 2016 European Championships begin tomorrow with England opening up against Russia on Saturday, June 11th. Three Lions will kick off at 20:00/8PM BST in their opener at Stade Velodrome. One of the hottest topics right now surrounding the England National Team as they begin the Euros is Manchester United youngster Marcus Rashford.
The rapidly rising striker gave an interview which is quickly circulating through the internet due to his how candid he was with his responses.
Rashford is amazed by how quickly he rose up from obscurity with both England and Manchester United.
He told the Football Association’s website: “It doesn’t seem real, when you look back at it. [At Christmas] I was actually trying to work my way into [United’s] under-21s side and all of a sudden I appeared in the first team. You have to be ready when your chance comes.
“To be honest, I wasn’t really thinking about the England set-up as much because obviously at United there was a lot of games coming thick and fast so all of my focus was on those games.
“At the end of the season, you hear talk and stuff, but to be here now is just amazing. For it to be in my hands to go out and help the country is an amazing feeling.”
Rashford and company face a Russia side that few experts believe in. In this match Saturday, the best odds are on England as they enter the tournament with the fourth best odds of winning it all. Only France (most sports books give them 3-1 odds), Germany (4-1) and Spain (5-1) are considered a more favorable wager than Three Lions (17-2). Russia on the other hand, faces the second longest odds of any country at 80-1. Only Northern Ireland, at 250-1, is considered a bigger long shot.
While Rashford ponders and articulates how surreal his journey has been, he’s had his share of criticism too. Former England Striker Ashley Cole doesn’t think Manager Roy Hodgson should have picked Rashford.
“I think Marcus has had a fantastic season but he gets in the Euros squad to sit on the bench or to sit in the stands,” Cole said.
“People say experience, but for me that’s not an experience to sit in the stands and watch the game. He can watch that at home on TV.”
“If you’re going to be involved and play games then that’s experience. But when you look at it and Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge are all there, is he going to play in front of any of those guys? Most probably not.”
“No doubt Marcus will say it’s a great experience to be involved at such a tender age, but you could look and say the same thing about Theo Walcott.
“He went at that age and his career has never really kicked on as a regular player in the national team for England.
“Hopefully Marcus will come back from that and crack on with next season with Manchester United.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram