A NUMBER of England players took time out from training to remember former internationals who served in the First World War.
Keeper Joe Hart and Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were among those to plant 14 trees – one for each former England player.
Ashley Young, Dominic Solanke and John Stones were all part of 14 England representatives to pay tribute at England’s Saint George’s Park training complex.
Harold Fleming, Albert Colclough, Edwin Latheron, Edwin Mosscrop, Joe Smith, Sam Hardy, Frank Buckley, George Elliott, Harry Hampton, Joe McCall, Harry Martin, Fanny Walden, Charles Wallace and Richard Watson were the players remembered.
Each player was given a memorial card with the names and a brief piece of written information about each former player for the Three Lions.
Boss Gareth Southgate has been putting his side through their paces ahead of their double header against Holland and Italy.
Southgate, without the injured Harry Kane, cast a watchful eye on his side as early auditions begin ahead of the summer World Cup.
The manager’s biggest squad dilemma will be who he decides should wear the goalkeepers jersey.
Joe Hart, who has 74 caps for his country, is massively out of form.
INTERNATIONAL DUTY Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling play COD WWII in their hotel room whilst on international duty
But keepers Jack Butland and Jordan Pickford are inexperienced and have been inconsistent in the Premier League this season.
Nick Pope has impressed for Burnley but is yet to win his first cap for England.
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Speaking ahead of England’s friendlies, Southgate said: “It is a really tight competition between all of those guys.
“If we had a game tomorrow, we know who we would select and we wouldn’t want a lack of clarity going into the tournament.
“We’ll be clear on that decision but it’s not one that I’d want to announce now because there’s a lot of football to be played and opportunities for people to impress.”
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