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Euro 2016 is just around the corner and not before long our favorite footballing superstars will shed their club attires, don their national colors and aim to lead their teams to European glory. A few surprise teams have managed to qualify(Iceland, N.Ireland) and few big teams have failed to make the cut(Netherlands, Denmark).
Now with most of the provisional squads being announced by the team managers, there were surprise inclusions as well as some mind puzzling exclusions. For the lucky few who have managed to get a call-up and most probably a ticket to France, this isn’t just another International Tournament.
It is their proving ground, not just for the tournament, but also for their clubs in the on-coming season. Some need to justify their starting-XI inclusions and others who are seeking new clubs, need to prove their mettle for their suitors.
These people haven’t exactly had the best of seasons with neither a good amount of goals or assists to their name. It’s now or never for them. The whole world will have their eyes on them and another faulty step could derail their international as well as club careers.
So, let us take a look at five such players who need to up the ante...
Note: This is based on the provisional squads and players may or may not make it to the final roster.
5) Arda Turan
Signing for a club which is banned from fielding new player for another six months is something most players would not agree to, but the Turkish wide man chose to go on that path which involved missing six months of football at the prime of his career.
Before signing for the Blaugrana, Turan was a vital cog in Diego Simone’s hard working Atletico side. His return of 2 goals and 4 assists in 25 appearances is more or less the same like his last year for the Rojiblancos but 12 of those appearances have come off the bench.
This clearly shows Enriques’ reluctance to disturb a winning combination. Luis Enrique has preferred the young Sergi Roberto in place of him. Also, Turan’s natural position is a winger but he has often been forced to play in a more central role due to the MSN trident which clearly has curbed his freedom.
With time and patience running out, Turan will have to give it all for Turkey in France. Offers from China have already started coming and if Turan cannot carry his heroics from the qualifiers to the finals, Luis Enrique might dip into the market again for replacements.
4) Alvaro Morata
Juventus wrapped up another double and most of the plaudits went to Paulo Dybala and Paul Pogba, while Alvaro Morata has silently done his part. An absolute star for the Real Madrid youth team, made a move for the Turin-based club to gain more first-team action. He formed a formidable partnership with Tevez and Juventus came very close to the treble, ultimately losing to Barcelona in the Champions League final.
This season has been somewhat topsy-turvy for him. Morata lost his starting place to Mario Mandzukic, yet managed to score 12 goals, one shy of the Croat. Most of his appearances have come off the bench(21 out of 47) but that should not be a concern.
The exclusion of Diego Costa has opened the door for him to at least partner Paco Alcacer in the forward line for La Roja and prove himself on a big stage. Real Madrid who are looking to exercise the buy-back clause and also potential suitors like Arsenal will have their eyes firmly on him.
3) Wayne Rooney
A surprise inclusion right? You would think I’m mad to include England’s all-time top scorer in this list. Well if you had followed Wayne Rooney’s last season, my words will stand true.
8 goals(12 in all comps.) in 28 appearances coupled with 6 assists is not good enough for an experienced man like Rooney. Starting the season as a lone striker, he has gradually drifted to a more deeper role which has paid some dividends.
Some might argue that his international stats are good. Yes, 51 goals in 109 appearances is a commendable stat, but most of these have come against minnows such as San Marino and Lithuania(5 of his 7 goals in European Qualifiers have come against these two and Estonia).
The shift in position does allow him to contribute at both ends of the pitch as well as elongating his fading career at the top level. Nothing less than an all-round show from the English skipper can revive his dwindling stats for the foreseeable future.
2) Mario Gotze
Germany’s golden boy, the crown jewel in Joachim Loew’s star-studded German team has somehow found a way to be invisible to Pep Guardiola’s Bayern side.
Under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp, Gotze burst into the scene and looked destined for stardom. A big money move to Bayern Munich followed with Pep’s arrival. Under Guardiola, he was used sparingly. A mere 14 appearances in unnatural positions in the Bundesliga last season has halted his development. Yet somehow he remains Loew’s favorite young talent and the team is somewhat centered around him.
With international figures of 17 goals in 50 appearances, the young World Cup winner will have no problems in finding suitor clubs at the age of just 23, if incoming manager Carlo Ancelotti has no plans which include him.
Rumored interests from Liverpool give him the prospect of re-uniting with Klopp, who nurtured him as a young starlet. Can Gotze come out of his mini-slump and gift Germany another trophy in a similar fashion like 2014? We certainly hope he does.
1) Eden Hazard
If falls from grace were to be measured, Eden Hazard would be the end limit. A stark contrast from the previous seasons with the Blues, calling this season a nightmare would be an understatement. The wide man from Belgium has had to encounter a bizarre turn of fortunes along with Chelsea.
A PFA Player of the Year(2014/15), PFA Young Player of the Year(2013/14) as well as Premiere League Player of the Year(2014/15) awards propelled Mourinho to call him better than Cristiano and Messi.
6 goals in 42 appearances to 19 goals in the previous year is perhaps one of the biggest contrasts seen in top flight football. Before the last few rounds of league fixtures, Eden Hazard didn’t even score once.
It was as if he did not have any effect whatsoever as Chelsea’s title defense crumbled. A subsequent drop to the bench followed but the appointment of Gus Hiddink gave some respite. Goals and skillful play towards the fag end of the season were good news to Marc Wilmots.
With interests from Real Madrid and PSG, Hazard needs to be back to his best for those clubs to bid for him or even to impress Antonio Conte. If Belgium are to mount a title challenge, they will need their talisman to fire all guns blazing.
