Terry Butcher: Andros Townsend’s debut is the best since Gazza’s first England game

As the dust settles on England’s qualification campaign, and fans start booking their summer trips to Brazil, two former England players gave their take on England’s prospects – disagreeing over the quality of the team. John Barnes was pessimistic in his assessment of the side to talkSPORT, whilst Terry Butcher was less scathing in his.

Barnes told talkSPORT; “Wayne Rooney is our only world class player.”

The former England winger continued; “Andros Townsend played well but we’re not going to win the World Cup by just getting down the wings and putting crosses in. We have to develop different types of players rather than just wingers who can get down the line or attacking midfield players.”

However, former captain Butcher was kinder to Townsend, and to the side as a whole.

“In the Montenegro game we were very good against a stubborn team, but Poland are much better so it was the best performance for me,” said Butcher.

On Townsend he continued; “He’s come from nowhere when you think about it,”

“He’s worked hard on his game but he’s burst on to the international scene in the last week and had a massive impact. I can’t think of a better debut since Gazza [Paul Gascoigne] all those years ago.

“Roy Hodgson takes great credit for playing him. It’s always hard if you have a great performance to replicate it again a few days on but England did that.”

Andros Townsend Take-Ons v Spurs