Townsend keen to repay Hodgson by making final Euro cut
REUTERS - Winger Andros Townsend is keen to repay England manager Roy Hodgson's faith in him by making the cut for the final 23-man squad for next month's European Championship in France.
Townsend, 24, was included in England's 26-man provisional squad and Hodgson will use the three friendlies against Turkey, Australia and Portugal to trim the squad to 23.
"Even when I wasn't playing much at Spurs, Roy Hodgson always had faith in me and put me in the squad, and nine times out of 10 I've done well for him," Townsend, who played for the relegated Newcastle United, told British media.
"Hopefully I can repay that faith in the friendlies and make sure I get in the (final) squad."
Townsend joined Newcastle from Tottenham Hotspur in January and ended the season in good form, scoring three of his four Premier League goals after being given an extended run in the side under Spaniard Rafael Benitez.
"It was no secret that I wasn't playing enough football and my confidence was low," Townsend added.
"I needed to get back playing week-in week-out. I knew if I got back to my best I could get in the England squad."
England open their Euro 2016 campaign against Russia in Marseille on June 11.
(Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)