Henry Winter and Shaun Custis sympathetic over West Ham United ace James Ward-Prowse snub
Both Henry Winter and Shaun Custis have offered their sympathy to West Ham United’s James Ward-Prowse after his latest England snub.
Having missed out on Gareth Southgate’s squads in both September and November, the Hammers midfielder has once again been omitted from the Three Lions’ team for their Euro 2024 qualifying clashes with Malta and North Macedonia.
The decision has irritated West Ham and England supporters alike and both Winter and Custis agreed that the West Ham man couldn’t do much more to lose his tag as the “bridesmaid” of Southgate’s England side.
Speaking on talkSport (12 November, 10.21) Custis said: “Poor old James Ward-Prowse, he cannot do anything to get into this England squad, always the bridesmaid, never the bride and he’s playing well.”
Winter was quick to agree, saying: “He’s playing so well at the moment, you have to have sympathy with any manager that has to make these difficult decisions, it must be very painful.”
Sympathy
It has perhaps been lost in the frustration just how difficult a job Southgate has to select a squad of only 23 players for international breaks, given the immense level of talent currently in the Premier League and beyond from English players.
While that job is by no means an easy one, there is absolutely no reason for Ward-Prowse to continue to be omitted from the side given his excellent club form this season, both in the Premier League and the Europa League for West Ham.
In his 10 Premier League outings this season, he has registered five goal involvements from midfield and picked up another four assists in Europe as he continues to go from strength to strength in the heart of David Moyes’ side.
Having missed out on every squad this season, it feels almost certain that the 29-year-old won’t be part of the England squad that makes the trip to Germany for next summer’s Euros and while it would have been nice to have another Hammer at the tournament, it could be a boost for West Ham.
By missing November’s international break, the midfielder gets a couple of weeks to recover ahead of the busy festive period and should he not play in next summer’s Euros, he will get a lengthy break over the summer to prepare for the new campaign.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers could be forced to sack Moyes after news dropped surrounding his resignation in the last 12 hours