Former Tottenham duo Kyle Walker and Andros Townsend have had very different fortunes over the past two seasons, with one currently at Crystal Palace.
England’s Kyle Walker in action
Two years ago this week, England were embarking on another international break, under then boss Roy Hodgson.
A couple of controversial selections in the squad were Andros Townsend and Kyle Walker, whose Tottenham side had been beaten 3-0 by Manchester United not long before the squad was named.
The duo were slated by pundit Paul Merson, who told SkySports: “If Townsend can get in then it opens it up for anybody. We are not picking players who are playing well for their clubs — he got taken off after 30 minutes the other week against United.
“The England manager is there watching the game and he still gets picked. Townsend and Walker were the worst two players on the pitch.
“How can you tell me that a manager goes and watches Man United against Tottenham, the winger gets taken off after 30 minutes, the winger from the other team absolutely rinses the full-back for England and Young doesn’t get in the squad?”
Andros Townsend
Fast forward back to 2017 and Townsend and Walker have very different career paths.
Walker in early 2015 was still finding form after a lengthy injury, but bounced back for the 2015/16 season in superb form.
He nailed down the right-back spot for England at Euro 2016, and has been excellent for Tottenham for two seasons, featuring for the Three Lions in their recent World Cup qualifying win over Lithuania.
He is more important than ever, and the thought of him now being one of the worst players on the pitch seems an unlikely prospect.
Andros Townsend is a very different case. He responded to Merson’s jibe by scoring in the immediately following international, but his career then took a nosedive.
He spent the first half of the subsequent season banished to Tottenham’s under-21 side, before signing for Newcastle.
This ended in relegation and Townsend missing Euro 2016, and a summer move to Crystal Palace.
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