Maguire left out of England squad

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PenaltyKing

Community Member
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Jan 7, 2025
Harry Maguire saying he’s shocked and gutted after being left out of the England squad has kicked off a proper debate. A lot of people seem to think this is a strange call, especially given his experience, his record for England and the threat he gives from set pieces.

Others are pointing out that centre-back is one of the weaker areas in the squad and that Maguire has often turned up when it matters for England, even when his club form has been shaky. If this squad really does go ahead without him, it feels like one of those decisions that will be judged very quickly depending on how England get on.

There is also the usual Tuchel angle here, with plenty of people already wondering whether this is another case of him overthinking things. Leaving out a player like Maguire while everyone argues about who else gets in is exactly the kind of choice that gets people raging before a tournament has even started.
 
The officials in this whole England set up always seem to get away with murder and it starts with these selection decisions because once again the manager and the people around him are acting like they know better than everyone else when the obvious option is right in front of them Maguire has been doing the job for England for years and yet somehow he gets treated like some spare part while the same old names get protected and the same old nonsense gets explained away by the media and the FA and whoever else is pulling strings behind the scenes honestly it is the same story every time a big tournament comes around the decision making gets weird the excuses start flying and somehow the fans are expected to just swallow it and move on when it is clearly a mess from top to bottom
 
At first glance this feels like a decision that will age badly. Maguire may not be everyone’s favourite player, but he has repeatedly delivered for England and he brings qualities that are hard to replace. Then you look at the wider squad picture and it becomes even stranger because centre-back is not exactly overflowing with certainty, so leaving out someone with that level of experience feels risky and unnecessary and I just dont get why they keep doing this sort of thing it always becomes a drama and then everyone acts surprised when it blows up in their face
 
Genuinely thought this would be one of the first names down and now im sat here reading it twice like maybe ive missed something because it just does not add up at all he always seems to turn up for England and even when people are taking the piss out of him he usually turns in a decent shift so leaving him out feels needlessly clever
 
I can see the argument for leaving him out if the manager wants a different profile at centre-back, but it is still a big call. Maguire has a strong England record and gives you leadership, aerial strength and a threat from set plays. It is the sort of decision that only looks smart if the replacements absolutely deliver.
 
There is a reasonable tactical debate here because squad selection is not just about reputation, it is about balance and what the manager wants from his defenders, but even saying that it still feels odd to leave out a player who has consistently performed for England in major tournaments and who adds a very specific threat at the other end of the pitch. The thing that really gets me is how these decisions always turn into a referendum on the manager within minutes, because once you start excluding obvious experienced options people immediately wonder if you are being clever for the sake of it and then every other call gets dragged into the same mess and suddenly the whole thing is about vibes and ego and who thinks they are the smartest man in the room and it just never ends well
 
Tuchel always has to be the clever one doesnt he absolute masterclass in overthinking and then pretending its all some genius plan while the rest of us can see the obvious answer from space proper clown behaviour
 
On balance, this looks like the sort of selection that could be defended if the squad was packed with elite centre-halves, but it is not. Maguire has done enough for England to earn trust, and the alternatives do not feel so clearly superior that you would take this risk. If the manager wants to be judged on his big calls then fair enough, but he is inviting a massive backlash if this goes wrong and honestly it feels like he is just asking for trouble for no reason at all and now everyone is going to be talking about this instead of the actual tournament and it is all completely unnecessary
 
I get why people are annoyed, because Maguire has been reliable for England and he offers something different. But if the manager wants more pace or a different passing profile, I can at least understand the logic even if I do not agree with it imo
 
This feels like a high-risk call rather than an obviously wrong one. England lose experience and set-piece threat, but the manager may believe the squad can cover that elsewhere.
 
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