‘He has insane wisdom’: Eberechi Eze says he has Roy Hodgson to thank for England call-up after Crystal Palace star’s brilliant end to season
- Eze received his first call-up from England for the European qualifiers this month
- He worked twice under Hodgson and played his best football for the veteran
- The midfielder is now looking to make his international debut on Friday
Crystal Palace striker Eberechi Eze believes Roy Hodgson’s ‘insane wisdom’ played a key role in propelling him into the England squad.
Two years after being cruelly deprived of his first international call-up following an Achilles tendon injury, Eze has joined England following his game-breaking call-up and hopes to make his debut against Malta on Friday.
Gareth Southgate had originally called up Eze to be part of his provisional squad for the delayed European Championships in 2021 – the striker received confirmation of his inclusion just minutes after suffering his freak injury in training.
An international call-up looked unlikely earlier this year when he lost his place in the Palace squad under Patrick Vieira.
But the Frenchman’s sacking and the subsequent return of Hodgson, who originally signed Eze for Palace in 2020, rejuvenated the striker, ultimately leading to his call-up to England.
Eberechi Eze credited Roy Hodgson’s ‘crazy wisdom’ as a key factor in his England call-up
Hodgson’s (right) return to Crystal Palace has helped rejuvenate Eze’s (left) form this season
He is now pushing to make his England debut in their European Championship qualifiers
‘He [Hodgson] was very helpful, advising me all the time. He has insane wisdom, so it’s good to hear what he has to say,” Eze said.
‘I am very grateful to Roy and Ray [Lewington] for everything they did to help me get back in shape, they helped me tremendously with the performance and my mental state.
“Seeing him day to day around the place and how he speaks to each individual player, that helped me a lot.
“The influence he had on the players, the mindset, the confidence, the freedom – it was something we hadn’t experienced in a little while, so I’m hugely grateful.”
Gareth Southgate selected Eze for his provisional European Championship squad just two years ago for the Crystal Palace star to step down after a freak injury in training
