. Euro 2024: Palace manager disappointed by Olise’s snub hopes Southgate will include Eze in England squad
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France manager Didier Deschamps named his squad for the European Championships this summer on Thursday, with Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Michael Olise missing out.
With 10 goals and five assists in 13 starts in an injury-curtailed season, the 22-year-old – who is still eligible to play for France, England, Algeria, and Nigeria – is in blistering form and was many observers’ pick for a place in Deschamps squad, even though he is yet to make his senior debut.
“When you see him playing in the last weeks, he has very big arguments [to be in the squad], he’s showing some outstanding performances,” said Glasner.
“But I don’t want to advise Didier Deschamps. Their squad qualified; they have players who were responsible for qualifying for the Euros and it’s not so easy then to drop them and say ‘Okay thank you very much, you did good work qualifying, but now with the Euros, thank you’ and then nominate another player.
“When nominating a team it’s difficult. Sometimes you have to make very, very difficult decisions but from my point of view, with everything I saw from Michael, everything I see every day, with his talent, with quality, with his competitiveness – in the game, he can still switch one gear higher, or maybe two – I would say yes, he would have deserved it, but it’s the decision of Didier Deschamps.”
A second chance for Olise to represent his country could still come this summer, but on the biggest sporting stage of all – the Olympic Games, which is being held in Paris.
In early July, Theirry Henry will name his mainly U23 squad for Paris 2024 with Olise almost guaranteed to be named in it – but Glasner admitted he would have mixed feelings about it, with the Olympics coming right in the middle of pre-season preparations and finishing just six days before the opening Premier League weekend.
Meanwhile, former Crystal Palace captain and now England manager Gareth Southgate will name his training squad for this summer’s European Championship in Germany on Tuesday.
Last year, the Eagles trio of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, defender Marc Guehi, and attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze were regulars in Southgate’s England squads before injuries to all three curtailed their continued Three Lions careers going into 2024.
While Johnstone is currently injured, having picked up an injury on England duty in March, both Guehi and Eze are back playing.
Guéhi is widely expected to be named in the squad on Tuesday and Palace fans have been hoping that he could be joined by Eze, who has been in scintillating form in recent weeks.
“Just watch our games, these are the arguments,” said Glasner when asked if the Greenwich-born attacker has a strong argument to be included on Tuesday.
“It’s nothing I just see because everybody sees it – he scores goals, he creates chances. It’s no secret – everybody knows.
“But it’s Gareth Southgate’s decision and this is one of the biggest strengths of the English squad: fantastic offensive players like (Bukayo) Saka, (Phil) Foden, (Jack) Grealish, (Harry) Kane and I forgot some players for sure. It’s finding the right mix of these players and this is Gareth Southgate’s part.”
Along with Guéhi and possibly Eze, both Tyrick Mitchell and Dean Henderson – who have already appeared for England under Southgate – have impressed in recent months and have an outside chance of making the squad, while there are growing calls for recent England U21 debutant Adam Wharton to make the step up to the senior thanks to a blistering final quarter of the season since moving to South London in February.
