Spineless Gareth Southgate has turned his back on West Ham star Jarrod Bowen but gets away with it on a extremely lucky evening for England.
Abysmal England are somehow through to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals but West Ham fans had little to cling on to.
For major tournaments fans of English clubs come together to support the Three Lions.
But there is always something extra in it for supporters – West Ham or otherwise – when one of your players is involved.
The Hammers have just two players left in the tournament in the shape of Jarrod Bowen and Alphonse Areola.
Areola has next to no chance of seeing any minutes at yet another major tournament with France.
And West Ham’s top scorer Bowen will be lucky to see many more under Gareth Southgate.
Abysmal England somehow through
Yes England are through to the quarter-finals and that is all that matters in knockout football.
But Southgate hasn’t half had the luck of the draw – quite literally – during his tenure as England manager.
He may not be popular with most England fans right now. But a large number of West Ham fans have felt that way about the England boss for a while now.
Southgate has consistently snubbed West Ham’s top performing players since becoming Three Lions boss.
He arrived, as all England managers seem to, promising to play players on form and not reputation, declaring it doesn’t matter who you play for.
Southgate antagonised the Hammers faithful by continually overlooking star man Bowen in recent seasons.
West Ham fans desperate for Bowen involvement
And when he did get in the squad Southgate initially chose not to give him a proper chance.
Southgate also angered Hammers fans when he declared Declan Rice had taken his game to another level since leaving West Ham earlier this year.
In fairness to Southgate he did pick Bowen for his Euros squad. Rightly so given his brilliant form for West Ham again last season.
Many Hammers fans feel Bowen should be pushing Bukayo Saka for a start by rights.
Within one minute of his cameo in the group stage win over Serbia, Bowen managed more than Phil Foden and all Southgate’s other favourites combined.
He drove at his marker down the right and lifted a brilliant ball into Harry Kane to lay it on a plate for the Bayern Munich striker.
But he spurned the chance, albeit via a good save. Bowen was excellent and did not put a foot wrong during his 15 minutes on the pitch.
The Hammers star had 15 touches, made 6 passes, created one clear-cut chance which should have been an assist, won his only aerial duel, made a one tackle, one key clearance and one key interception.
West Ham’s talisman was no worse than anyone else when he got another few minutes in the 1-1 draw against Denmark.
But that is likely to be the last we see of Bowen at this tournament.
Spineless Southgate turns back on Bowen but gets away with it
Spineless Southgate has turned his back on West Ham star Bowen but gets away with it.
Bowen was an unused sub for the dismal 0-0 draw with Slovenia as England limped into the last 16.
Somehow the Three Lions and Southgate’s usual favourites turned in an even worse performance for 94 minutes as they trailed 1-0 to the world’s 45th ranked team Slovakia.
Heading out, Southgate turned to Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze with no sign of West Ham’s Bowen getting a chance.
It was a long throw which found Jude Bellingham to produce a brilliant last gasp overhead kick and save Southgate’s bacon.
As the game went into extra-time, West Ham fans thought they might get to see their man come on and give Slovakia something to worry about.
Kane then nodded home after another slightly fortuitous passage of play and England just about held on.
But this was no masterclass from Southgate. Anything but.
For West Ham fans watching England is like watching their team for much of the last two years in the Premier League under David Moyes.
Except there’s no Bowen to get Hammers supporters excited.
And judging by Southgate’s actions, it’s likely to stay that way.
