Ange Postecoglou is confident Tottenham duo James Maddison and Djed Spence are “in the frame” for England call-ups in the coming months, despite Thomas Tuchel overlooking them for his first squad.
Tuchel named 26 players in his first squad as England manager on Friday morning, with Dominic Solanke the only Spurs player included in the senior set-up.
That meant no call-up for the likes of Maddison and Spence. Maddison is enduring a season of mixed fortunes with Tottenham but has seven caps for England, last representing his country in a friendly in June last year before being snubbed for the Euro 2024 squad.
Full-back Spence, 24, has never been selected at senior level by England. Despite producing impressive performances for Postecoglou’s side, Tuchel omitted him from his squad to face Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifiers later this month.
Asked for his views on Maddison missing out, Postecoglou replied: “I’m not across it. I’m pretty critical myself when people question my selections because every manager has all of the information they need.
“Madders, in a really challenging season for us, has grinded his way through and his quality has really come through in the last few weeks — especially when we have been able to give him a spell [rest] every now and then.
“Again, last night [against AZ Alkmaar, when he scored], I thought he was a real catalyst for us in an attacking sense and also worked hard for the team.”
The Spurs manager said of Spence: “Djed has been super this year. I always feel with these things, particularly with national team selection, it’s never a kind of thing where you just draw a line through it.
“I have no doubt if Djed keeps performing how he is and Madders keeps working hard I’m sure Thomas will be looking across the board at his squads over the next period and I’m sure both of them will be in the frame.”
