Andros Townsend has thanked Roy Hodgson for retaining faith in him despite a year marred by fitness problems and indifferent form, with the Tottenham Hotspur winger hopeful his goalscoring cameo for England in Italy can spark a personal resurgence.
The Spurs forward scored within nine minutes of his introduction at the Juventus Stadium, thumping in an equaliser from distance beyond Gianluigi Buffon, and after the final whistle swapped shirts with the home side’s captain, who was earning his 147th cap. Hodgson went on to describe Townsend as a “game-changer” with this a reprise of the impact he had made late in the qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup.
The 23-year-old had been denied a place at the tournament proper by injury and has endured a stop-start season since, managing only nine Premier League starts for Spurs. “I don’t think I am in my best form but this is the best form I have produced this season, if I can put it that way,” he said.
“Obviously I had a few injury problems at the start of the season but I think now I am over the worst of that. I am slowly building my confidence back to where it was and hopefully from now until the end of the season I can get more games in the Spurs team and for England in the summer, and get back to the football I was producing last season.
“Roy Hodgson has always put his faith in me and always shown loyalty to me. The manager has always given me confidence from my first cap to now, confidence to go and express myself and play my natural game. I have been lucky that I have scored three goals in seven for my country and, hopefully, that will continue.
“But every time he has put me in the squad and on the pitch, I have always repaid that faith. Of course I have still got things to prove to people. That never stops, but every time I’ve put on an England shirt I have done myself justice, I have done Roy Hodgson justice and the nation justice.”
Townsend had made a point post-match of responding to criticisms of his selection for the original 24-man party for the Lithuania and Italy fixtures, pointedly tweeting the former Arsenal and England forward Paul Merson, who had suggested: “If Townsend can get in then it opens it up for anybody.”
“I was a bit disappointed with his comments but, again, I have come on the pitch tonight and silenced them,” said the Spurs player. “He hasn’t responded yet, but I’m eagerly awaiting it when it comes.
“What he said didn’t really annoy me but it had given me the extra incentive to silence a few people. I have done that tonight, as I always have. As soon as the squad was announced two weeks ago that tweet had been going over in my head. As soon as the goal went in, I was just desperate to get that response out. To score against Buffon – one of the best goalkeepers to have ever played the game – was no mean feat and as soon as the whistle went I thought I’d try and get his shirt. It was a real night to savour for me.”
England played out the last 16 minutes in Turin with four Tottenham players on the pitch. In addition to Townsend, Ryan Mason came on to make his debut, Kyle Walker was introduced at the interval and Harry Kane played a first 90 minutes with the senior side.
“A few years ago the main criticism of Harry was that he was lacking half a yard of pace but he has seemed to sort that out,” said Townsend. “He has bulked up and is now an animal. Spurs and England can benefit from that. I’ve always said he’s the best finisher I have ever played with. People used to laugh at me but now I think I should get a job as a scout.
“The management, coaches and academy managers should be really proud at Spurs to see all four of us on. They have brought through four or five players – there’s Danny Rose as well [who withdrew with hip and hamstring injuries] – who are now in the England squad and to have four on the pitch at one time is fantastic for the club. Hopefully it can serve as an inspiration to the younger players, the likes of Josh Onomah and Harry Winks who are coming through, that they can be in the first team.”
