ABOVE: Daniel Sturridge trains with England yesterday
He has, for many years, been an enormous talent
Roy Hodgson
DANIEL STURRIDGE has been challenged to prove he can be England’s boy for Brazil.
The in-form Liverpool star will be given his chance to shine tonight in tandem with Wayne Rooney as the Three Lions face the Republic of Ireland in their Wembley friendly.
Sturridge, 23, was sold for £12m by Chelsea in January, having failed to establish himself at the club after arriving from Manchester City four years ago.
Prior to the switch he made just 12 appearances for Chelsea, 10 of them as a substitute, scoring two goals.
But he has flourished at Anfield, hitting the net 12 times, including a hat-trick at Fulham this month.
And a good showing tonight is likely to see him picked again for the glamour friendly against Brazil in Rio on Sunday – and boost his chances of having an impact there during next summer’s World Cup.
“He has, for many years, been an enormous talent,” said Hodgson of the striker, who has five England caps.
“Chelsea paid a lot of money for him from City before he’d broken into the City team.
“He’s been more of a regular at Liverpool and he’s grown in confidence. We’re seeing all the qualities we’ve always known he had.
“He’s showing them week after week. He’s very confident at the moment.
“We’re hoping he comes in, in the same way as Danny Welbeck, and brings us something with his incredible pace and footwork and technical ability to help us win matches.
“Andy Carroll had to pull out and Welbeck won’t be fit for the first game. This will be an opportunity for Daniel to show he can do it at a higher level.”
Former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard insisted Sturridge had done the right thing getting away from Stamford Bridge.
“I don’t know what the reasons were, probably because he wasn’t getting enough games,” said Lampard.
“So he’s gone to Liverpool, scored 10 in 14 games. You couldn’t call that at the time he left.
“I’m just pleased he’s gone away and shown what he can do. He can change speed and has pace and bags of ability.”
Sturridge had to quit Chelsea because he was not getting picked in the starting line-up and a similar dilemma led Manchester United star Rooney to ask for a transfer towards the end of the season.
Bayern Munich, PSG, Monaco, Chelsea and Arsenal have all been linked with the 27-year-old and Hodgson admitted it would be a concern if his star striker was not getting regular football going into a World Cup year.
Asked if it would be a worry if Rooney was regularly left on the bench again next season, Hodgson said: “Of course, but that’s something I have to live with in England.
“The fact is there are a lot of clubs in the country that don’t use many English players. The English players we’ve got do not always play.
“We’d be limiting our options enormously if I could only pick English players who play regularly for their teams.
“I can’t decide which players clubs bring in, and how managers use those players.
“I have to recognise a player’s ability and believe they’ll show that ability when I give them a chance to play. I find Wayne’s desire as strong, if not stronger, than when we first met.
“I have nothing but the greatest faith in him. I know he’ll be really desperate to get out and show how good he is.
“But good players can have bad games, and bad players can have good games. It’s not an exact science. My faith has never wavered.”
One English ace who has been a regular in a top team is Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and Hodgson said he was delighted with the progress made by the winger, who also can play – and wants to play– as a central striker.
“There was a period when he was concerned about his future because of the contract discussions with Arsenal, and there was some doubt about where his future would be,” Hodgson added.
“But as soon as he signed that contract with the Arsenal, we’ve seen him playing very well for Arsenal, being an important member of their team.
“The responsibility and performances have benefited us as well. His goalscoring prowess has been constantly improving.
“In the past, people questioned that. He’s a very good finisher now.”
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