Here we are again, the morning England’s tournament hopefuls switch their phones off silent mode in anticipation for the all important message to drop.
If it doesn’t arrive, or worse yet Gareth Southgate calls, then they should brace themselves for bad news.
Most players will have a decent inkling on whether they’ll be named in Tuesday’s provisional squad for Euro 2024 or not.
For instance, Southgate has already personally contacted a number of players, as he often does, to check in on their progress and fitness ahead of the tournament.
That’s a good sign, of course.
Gareth Southgate will name his provisional squad for Euro 2024 on Tuesday morning
The England boss will have already contacted a number of players to check on their progress
So, too, is receiving a call from England’s player liaison team requesting shirt sizes for players’ family members with a view to furnishing them with heartfelt gifts to commemorate their loved one’s inclusion.
But if there’s been silence, then there may be trouble ahead.
Of course, the very fact Southgate names 30-plus players in his squad at St George’s Park this afternoon will prolong the agony for those in danger of missing the final cut on June 8.
Any player who is fit and isn’t named in Tuesday’s extended party wasn’t close in the first place.
But when the time arrives for Southgate to select the 26 players he believes can lead England to their first major trophy since 1966, he’ll do so knowing he is leaving behind some established names.
Raheem Sterling, for example – a stalwart of Southgate’s reign and a fixture in England’s previous five tournament squads isn’t expected to be picked even in the extended squad.
Kalvin Phillips, England’s player of the season in 2021, is also fearing the worst.
But with Southgate currently angling towards loading his squad with defenders amid fitness concerns over key players at the back, a number of England’s forwards face an anxious wait to discover whether they’ll make the plane.
Raheem Sterling, a stalwart of Southgate’s reign, is one who is set to miss out on selection
England’s player of the season in 2021, Kalvin Phillips, is fearing the worst ahead of Tuesday
Among those are Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish. In regular circumstances both would be shoo-ins; Rashford was England’s joint top goalscorer at the 2022 World Cup, while Grealish became Britain’s first £100million footballer less than three years ago.
But following largely disappointing seasons in Manchester, neither can be certain of their place in the final 26, although it would come as a huge shock if either were axed from Tuesday’s initial party.
However, the emergence of England’s fresh-faced selection of forwards leaves them susceptible.
Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka will be among the first names in Southgate’s starting XI when the tournament begins.
But behind them are Cole Palmer, Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon, though England were awaiting news over the ankle problem that ruled the latter out of Newcastle’s final day clash against Brentford.
Marcus Rashford faces an anxious wait to find out if he too has been called up to the squad
Bukayo Saka (left) and Phil Foden (right) will be among the first names in Southgate’s starting XI
Jack Grealish, might another who is not certain of his place in Southgate’s provisional squad
Cole Palmer (left) and Anthony Gordon (right) are another two fresh-faced stars who could be picked
Palmer, in particular, has dazzled this season amid a growing clamour for him to start in Germany, let alone be named in the squad.
Elsewhere in attack, Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins appear to be in a two-way shoot-out to be Harry Kane’s understudy.
England begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Iceland on June 7, before they face Denmark and Slovenia
A glance at the numbers suggest this will be one of Southgate’s easier dilemmas to solve.
Toney hasn’t scored for Brentford since February, while Watkins has had the season of his life at Aston Villa, notching 27 goals in all competitions.
Yet, the fact Toney is more akin to Kane, in terms of style of play, than Watkins presents Southgate with food for thought.
Similarly, Eberechi Eze’s excellent form for Crystal Palace has placed pressure on the position of James Maddison, whose form for Tottenham has deteriorated.
Southgate rates Eze highly; indeed he dispatched trusted No 2 Steve Holland to Selhurst Park to watch the 25-year-old attacker score his seventh and eighth goals in 12 matches in Sunday’s 5-0 win over Villa.
Holland, it is understood, also ran the rule over Palace’s developing midfield playmaker Adam Wharton, who sources claim is highly rated by Southgate, while left-back Tyrick Mitchell is an option, albeit a long-shot, given England’s major problems at full-back with key fitness issues over Luke Shaw, Ben Chilwell and Reece James.
Ivan Toney (left) and Ollie Watkins (right) are in a two-way shoot-out to become Harry Kane’s understudy
Concerns have risen in recent days over Kane’s fitness, after he was ruled out of Bayern Munich’s final game of the season
Eberechi Eze’s (left) excellent form will have placed some pressure on James Maddison (right)
But while Wharton is viewed as an England international of the future, the impression Kobbie Mainoo made on Southgate during the previous set of international fixtures may count in the Manchester United midfielder’s favour.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, barring a huge shock, will be selected as a midfielder and is set to be given an audition to start alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham at the Euros in the forthcoming warm-up fixtures against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland.
The Liverpool vice-captain’s inclusion will also provide Southgate with an option at right-back, although it is clear the England boss prefers Alexander-Arnold in midfield.
Shaw’s three month absence with a hamstring presents Southgate, arguably, with his biggest headache.
The England head coach will be desperate for Shaw to be available, and indications on Monday night were that the Manchester United star would be included in Tuesday’s long list with a view to building up his fitness during the pre-tournament training camp.
Kobbie Mainoo made an excellent impression on Gareth Southgate during England’s recent international fixtures
But Luke Shaw’s position remains up in the air, after injuries have kept him out of action
Southgate (pictured) will take the risk of selecting Shaw if he can reach match-fitness in time for the knockout stages
But it is clearly unlikely Shaw can start the opening game against Serbia on June 16, with that responsibility likely to fall with Trippier.
However, if Southgate believes Shaw can reach match-fitness in time for the knockout stages, then he will surely take the risk of selecting hm.
But, with all that said, it is understandable that the England boss is contemplating using his ability to name 26 players, rather than the traditional 23, to supplement his defensive options, which could be good news for versatile duo Joe Gomez and Ezri Konsa.
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Southgate has some big ones on the horizon.