Marcus Rashford was the man of the moment for England and Manchester United but now he can’t get a game
MARCUS RASHFORD is entitled to feel a bit miffed.
He was very much man of the moment when he scored with his first touch on his England debut in a friendly with Australia in May.
Now he cannot get a game for club or country.
On Thursday, his demotion from England’s senior side to the Under-21s was confirmed when Gareth Southgate named his squad to face Norway in a Euro qualifier on September 6.
Rashford knew it was coming because it had been flagged by England’s new head coach Sam Allardyce earlier in the week.
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He wants players who are picked to play for their clubs each week and Rashford is no longer one of them.
The Manchester United striker is supposed to be competing with Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane for a place in the England team.
Next week, when he joins up with the Under-21s, he will be training with Demarai Gray, Jack Grealish, Nathan Redmond, Dominic Solanke and Duncan Watmore.
Nice players but it is not the same as being with the seniors.
It is Allardyce’s name above the door now and he is entitled to set the selection criteria however he sees fit.
In the coming months England’s head coach will discover just how narrow those parameters can be.
Last weekend, Rashford was one of 35 English players named on subs’ benches for the second round of Premier League games.
Rashford, like the majority of them, did not get on the pitch.
In the opening two league fixtures of the season, the United striker has failed to play a single minute.
It is a credit to his character that the 18-year-old has not kicked up a fuss.
Last Friday, when FA director of elite development Dan Ashworth and England No 2 Sammy Lee went to Old Trafford, they came away disappointed.
Rashford — who scored eight times for United last term — was left on the bench throughout their 2-0 victory over Southampton.
His bank balance will be suffering, too, because the deal he agreed at Old Trafford last season is based on appearances.
Rashford signed a contract worth £15,000 a week, with another £10,000 on top if he gets on before the 70th minute.
Community Shield aside, where he replaced Anthony Martial at Wembley with 20 minutes left, he is coming up short. It is hard to think of anything Rashford has done wrong since he scored his last goal for the Red Devils in a 3-1 win over Bournemouth in a rearranged game on May 17.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in front of him and it is difficult to see a day when Rashford will dislodge the super Swede.
He had become a talismanic presence for Louis van Gaal when the United manager turned to him in the second half of the season.
At Euro 2016, where England bombed against Iceland, Rashford is probably the only player to emerge with his reputation intact.
He has been promised games by Mourinho, with his name written all over the EFL Cup tie against Northampton Town on September 20 and the group phase of the Europa League.
Ibrahimovic — who has scored four times in three appearances for his new club — has been promised some rest in the second-tier competitions.
That will open the door for Rashford but he became accustomed to playing at the highest level last term.
Taking him back to the top will be the tough bit.
JOE HART’S birthday party for his son turned into a farewell bash last weekend.
Hart invited players from City and United — including Sergio Aguero and Paul Pogba — to his home in Bowden to celebrate son Harlow’s second birthday.
But the City keeper, who fears for his England place, told pals he was being forced out by Pep Guardiola.
Hart expects to leave before the transfer deadline.
Pards power struggle
ALAN PARDEW’S hold on the Crystal Palace dressing room has been put to the test by Wilfried Zaha’s decision to quit.
It has been threatening to blow since Pardew stripped Mile Jedinak of the captaincy during the summer.
The Australian midfielder was a well-respected member of the dressing room but Pardew made it clear at the outset that he did not fancy him.
Jedinak has since been sold to Aston Villa but the strength of ill-feeling among the players continues.
Although Pardew has been backed from the boardroom with the signing of Christian Benteke from Liverpool, he does not have the same influence over the first-team squad. The arrival of Andros Townsend on around £70,000 a week has added to the complications.
Yannick Bolasie was allowed to join Everton after Palace refused to meet his salary demands. Zaha, who earns around £35,000 a week, believes he should be in the same pay league as Townsend.
That is causing tension in the Palace ranks and it is down to Pardew to put things right.
The Eagles have won only two of their last 23 Premier League games and Pardew has spoken about this being a “transitional” season.
For Pardew, it needs to be better than that.
Sam will park up
ROY HODGSON would use any excuse to stay at the Grove Hotel in Watford rather than use the facilities at St George’s Park.
He could not stand the trek north to Staffordshire — and the majority of England players shared his view about the remote location.
But that is all about to change under new Three Lions manager Sam Allardyce.
Big Sam intends to use the FA’s national football centre in Burton to prepare for every England game.
Lane4 is too fast
SAM ALLARDYCE is a big fan of the performance consultancy firm Lane4, who were brought in to raise standards at the FA.
Despite his admiration for the organisation — started by former Olympic swimmer Adrian Moorhouse — the youth coaches have yet to be convinced.
Some of them at St George’s Park are sick of Lane4 consultants sticking their beaks into every area of the FA’s coaching programme when they are working with players.
But Three Lions boss Allardyce is determined to keep them on in the long term.
