Lineker found left-back's omission from England squad 'hard to understand'

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Gary Lineker has admitted he found Thomas Tuchel's decision to omit Newcastle United star Lewis Hall from England's World Cup squad "hard to understand." The former Three Lions striker questioned safe-guarding certain defensive positions while overlooking a player who has excelled at left-back throughout the current Premier League campaign.

Lineker slams Lewis Hall snub

Lineker has voiced his confusion over Tuchel's decision to leave Hall out of England's squad for the upcoming World Cup. Despite a standout season at Newcastle, the young left-back was not included in the 26-man group traveling to the United States, a choice Lineker described as "baffling" given the player's recent form against elite opposition. Despite featuring in friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, Hall was one of the high-profile casualties when the final list was confirmed.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said: "It certainly surprised me but I would say that everyone has their own view on this and pretty much everyone will differ from the England manager in one or two positions. All that matters really is what the England manager thinks, but there are a few things I can’t understand. It won’t matter one iota if England go all the way and win the World Cup and Thomas Tuchel has said it’s not about picking the most talented players, it’s about putting a team together, and I totally get that."

"I think there were a couple of standout ones for me. Everyone would choose a different squad and there’s only one opinion that counts but I found Lewis Hall’s omission hard to understand, I really did. He’s been brilliant this season. Tuchel has talked about Djed Spence being the second-choice left-back but he’s more of a right-back and he spoke about his pace if we come up against a really quick winger. But Lewis Hall was the only player I’ve really seen cope with Lamine Yamal this season. So I found that decision a little bit baffling."

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Shock over Cole Palmer absence

The omission of Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer also drew criticism from the legendary forward. Despite being a match-winner for the Blues and having showcased his quality in major moments in the past, Palmer was another high-profile casualty of Tuchel's final selection process, with the German coach opting for alternative wide options.

Lineker expressed his disappointment regarding the Chelsea star, stating: "I was disappointed about Cole Palmer because Noni Madueke had an okay season but he plays second fiddle to Bukayo Saka most of the time. Cole gives you something different he’s a moment player. Also, if we rewind 12 months he was the player of the tournament at the Club World Cup where this tournament is being played. Yes he’s been injured a lot this season but he was out in patches and I think he showed that sharpness in Chelsea’s last few games and was coming back into form."

Maguire and Burn leadership debate

Another area of contention for Lineker was the exclusion of Harry Maguire. The Manchester United defender has been a mainstay in the England setup for years, but Tuchel has instead opted for Newcastle’s Dan Burn to provide veteran leadership in the heart of the Three Lions' backline for the tournament in North America.

Lineker believes Maguire may feel hard done by, noting: "I think Harry Maguire was really unlucky. Tuchel spoke very highly of Dan Burn and said he could be a real leader in there. I suspected he wouldn’t pick both of them because they’re similar players in many ways, but Maguire is really unlucky because he had the advantage of playing at major international tournaments where he’s always played well and never let England down."

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The surprise inclusion of Ivan Toney

Finally, Lineker touched upon the unexpected selection of Ivan Toney. The striker has been playing in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli, leading many to believe he had fallen out of the international reckoning, yet Tuchel found room for the former Brentford man in his final squad list.

Reflecting on the forward's inclusion, Lineker added: "I was really surprised about Ivan Toney as well, that one came out of nowhere. I don’t think anyone was talking about him because he’s been playing in the Saudi league for a couple of years. He’s a good player of course but I did find that slightly surprising."

England are now preparing to begin their Group D campaign on June 17 against Croatia, followed by fixtures against Ghana and Panama.