Sturridge may be England’s best Euro hope

Daniel Sturridge says he is ready to take on the cream of Europe after showing why he may be the only man capable of filling the void left by England talisman Wayne Rooney this summer.

Sturridge needed an early injury to Steven Gerrard to get his chance in Thursday night’s friendly defeat to Holland, but the Chelsea forward took it with both hands in what was a man-of-the-match, 57-minute display.

The 22-year-old may only have two caps but it is becoming more apparent that, with Rooney suspended for England’s opening two European Championship games, he is the player best equipped to provide the X-factor they would otherwise be sorely lacking in their Group D matches against France and Sweden.

And Sturridge, whose contribution would almost certainly come from a wide rather than central position, had no fear on Thursday about being thrown in at the deep end this summer.

He said: “I’m training every day against the best left-back in the world so, for me, if I play against anyone else, it can’t be as bad as playing against Ashley Cole every day.

“If I can have a few good training sessions against Ashley Cole, I’m sure I can have a few good games against the other left-backs in the world.”

Sturridge still needs to work on his decision-making in the final third and is far from the finished article in other respects – but neither was Rooney at Euro 2004.

“I felt I could’ve done a lot better in the game,” said Sturridge, who missed a sitter last night when it was still 2-0 to Holland.

“But I think I’m happy with the man of the match because I worked very hard.”

Indeed, if Thursday’s Wembley warm-up was about finding out which young players would be able to hack it this summer, Sturridge did everything possible to prove worthy of a seat on the plane to Poland and Ukraine.

But he knows he must now maintain the form that has seen him net 11 goals already this season for the final three months of the campaign.

“It’s hugely important for me, hugely important,” he said.

“All the work I’ve put in now, I don’t want to waste it by starting to perform badly.”

He said: “Going into the next few weeks and months for my club, I just need to continue to work hard for the team and to play well and to help get assists and goals for my team, and then hopefully that’ll be enough to get on the plane.”

Sturridge hopes to be joined by Stuart Pearce, who he backed to continue as England manager at Euro 2012.

The forward, who worked with Pearce both at under-21 level and at Manchester City, said: “He has done a lot for me, he gave me my first appearance for Man City when I was 17, kicked me a few times when I was 15.

“He is a great man, he has helped me a lot, he showed a lot of belief also with the Under-21s in the summer. I can’t thank him enough for what he has done for me.

“I’m hoping he gets the job.

“Just like it’s a natural progression for the (Under-21) players to go into the full squad, it’s a natural progression for him.”

He said: “When I came into the camp with Stuart Pearce, it felt like I was with the 21s again and it was easy for me to feel at home, to feel welcome about the players, and I felt great.”

Yet, Sturridge also recognised the obvious qualities of bookmakers’ favourite Harry Redknapp.

“He gets the best out of every player that I see him manage,” Sturridge said.

“Gareth Bale’s shown what a manager Harry Redknapp is by changing from a left-back to a left-winger and the football he’s playing at the moment’s been amazing.

“I think he’s a great manager.”

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