Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, Glenn Hoddle has been waxing-lyrical about West Ham star Declan Rice, claiming that he has to start every game for England at the Euros.
Rice has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season, acting as a driving force behind the Hammers’ top four challenge.
The pundit was debating with Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand about his England squad, and he says that Rice is so important to England these days.
“He’d be in the spine of my team. I mean, fingers crossed he’s going to be fit and he’s going to be ok. He’d be in the spine without a doubt for me he would play every game and he’s become that important, he really has,” Hoddle said.
“When I speak to him, he asks a lot of questions, he talks about improving, adding things to his game, playing with his left foot, longer balls over varied distances and he’s bearing the fruits of that,” Ferdinand added.
Hoddle is certainly correct about Rice.
England don’t have another player who can command the midfield in the same way Rice can, and if he’s fit in time for the Euros, he should be playing almost every minute of the tournament.
Of course, you can never take a player’s fitness for granted, but we’re sure that every England and West Ham fan has their fingers crossed for the midfielder.
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