In his commentary on the current competition for spots in the English national team, former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara singled out Chelsea winger Noni Madueke as a possible rival to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.
Speaking ahead of England’s UEFA Nations League games—the team will play Finland at Wembley on Tuesday and Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday—O’Hara stated that he thought Madueke would be a key player for England in the future.
“I think Noni Madueke could be a real game-changer for England, and I’d go as far as to say he could challenge Bukayo Saka for a starting spot,” O’Hara stated in an interview with Grosvenor Sport.
O’Hara continued her compliments on Madueke’s season-long development, highlighting his direct style of play and aptitude for creating chances on the field.
“I’m especially interested to watch Noni’s performance on the senior team. This season, he has really picked it up, and he never stops trying to get things done.
Aside from Madueke, O’Hara also mentioned that she was interested in seeing other young players play in England’s next games, such as Tino Livramento and Angel Gomes, given the latter’s impressive start to the season with Newcastle. Kyle Walker, a seasoned defender, has reportedly been replaced in the starting lineup by Livramento.
Even so, O’Hara expressed his enthusiasm for the team’s new path under interim head coach Lee Carsley, believing the Football Association (FA) ought to look for a more well-known manager for the permanent position.
O’Hara declared, “I still think England should go for a bigger name in management.” “I believe the FA should give it serious consideration to try and entice Eddie Howe away from Newcastle, and Graham Potter has also demonstrated his abilities at the greatest level.”
Despite appreciating Carsley’s achievements with the U21s, O’Hara thinks the senior national team should have a premier manager to match the caliber of the group.
“England possesses a squad that is simply unmatched in international football! I believe we ought to make every effort to find a manager who is on board. Why not? I’m referring to someone like Pep Guardiola.
Carsley and the team will put their skills to the test in the forthcoming matches as they prepare for future international competitions.
