It should be noted that Milner no llonger plays for Manchester City and is currently a member of Liverpool
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_Milner_2014_08_10.jpg
In a team composed of up and coming stars like Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, and Dele Alli, it seems only necessary that the player to watch for the English national squad is James Milner, the most experienced player in the current England squad besides Wayne Rooney (who is rumored to potentially be left out of the squad playing in the Euros). An average midfielder with an equally mild-mannered personality, what makes Milner the interesting player to watch is just that, his constant “averageness”. While he is extremely capable of creating scoring opportunities for his teammates with his accurate long passes, the main contribution Milner brings to the table is stabilityy for a team that has so much explosive power. The definition of consistency, Milner will be the rock, an apt name for a man who expresses little emotion on and off the field, in the midfield for the English side and the players will look to him (especially if Wayne Rooney is left out of the squad) for advice and leadership when things do not go according to plan. Furthermore, Milner has stated that this may be his last time wearing an English uniform as he may retire after the Euros to make room for the new generation. If that is the case he will look to go out with a bang and secure a long-sought international title for England. In the end, England’s capability of winning games ultimately depends on the team’s young stars, but the young stars depend on Milner to keep them in check.
Other Players:
Starters:
Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimović
Midfielders: Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, Dimitri Payet, Robbie Keane, Arda Turan
Defenders: Jordi Alba, Vlad Chiricheș, Ashley Williams, Taulant Xhaka
Goalkeeper: The Gianluigi Buffon
Substitutes:
Forwards: Eden Hazard, Jakub Błaszczykowski
Midfielders: Mesut Özil, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Gökhan Inler, Balázs Dzsudzsák
References:
Bryans, Mark. “James Milner will discuss his England future with Roy Hodgson after Euro 2016.” The Daily Mail. 27 March 2016. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3511229/James-Milner-prepared-step-aside-England-youth-Euro-2016.html (accessed on 29 April 2016)
Wallace, Sam. “James Milner to decide on England future after Euro 2016.” The Telegraph. 26 March 2016. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/03/26/james-milner-to-decide-on-england-future-after-euro-2016/ (accessed on 29 April 2016)
Written By: Austin Tran and Chris Arora
How to cite this article: “Euro 2016 Key Players to Watch” Written by Austin Tran and Chris Arora (2016), European Cup 2016 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/european-cup-2016-guide/ (accessed on (date)).
