Boothroyd wary of player burnout

“It’s a difficult one,” Boothroyd said. “Every club have their objectives and the bigger ones have to make sure they get to certain levels in the Champions League otherwise they have to make the shortfall up with these tours, so you can see why. It doesn’t always help us but that’s why it’s important we talk to them, listen to them, and get players that are absolutely at it when it comes to the tournament. Some of it is to sell shirts but we can’t help that.”

In the wider issue of player burnout, Gareth Southgate, the England manager, ruled Marcus Rashford out of going with Boothroyd to this summer’s under-21 tournament because the Manchester United teenager has made 58 appearances this season and he wants to keep him fresh for the 2018 World Cup, if England qualify. Rashford is in the senior squad for the games against Scotland and France.

Southgate had originally said that Rashford should gain more tournament experience with the under-21s. José Mourinho, the United manager, understandably wanted him to rest. Boothroyd accepted Southgate’s decision. “I want all the best players, but also my job is a development role, so in the end it never came down to José, it was about me talking to Gareth, and listening to what he had to say,” Boothroyd said. “He’s going to be the one who decides. It wouldn’t have been José. He’s the England manager so he’s the guy who picks the team.

“If he thinks Marcus is better suited with the senior team, and had gone past the 21s, then I can put my two penn’orth in, which I did, and in the end for the best for everybody, Marcus went with the senior team. The ‘problem’ is that since March he’s been scoring goals regularly. He’s become Manchester United’s No 1 goalscorer, their key player. If he’d had a bit of a dip it would have suited the under-21s more, but the fact that he has just kept on going means he comes into the senior team.”

Rashford is now deemed a fully fledged senior player like Raheem Sterling and Dele Alli. “He’s in that bracket, yes,” Boothroyd said.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek was ruled out of this summer’s under-21 squad with a back problem, while Patrick Roberts and Izzy Brown were left out after long, tiring seasons.

“Both boys have had a terrific season but I think the tournament probably came a month too soon,” Boothroyd said. “They’ve played through niggles and have not trained everyday of the week. They got promotion to the Premier League [Brown with Huddersfield Town] and one did the treble [Roberts with Celtic] as he keeps telling me.”

Even without the likes of Rashford, Sterling, Alli, Eric Dier and John Stones, and the injured Loftus-Cheek, Roberts and Brown, Boothroyd remains confident of England’s chances. “We want to get out of the group, into the semi-finals, and then win the final but there will be things to deal with in between,” he said.

Boothroyd hopes to build on a feeling of frustration felt by those, such as Calum Chambers, Nathaniel Chalobah, Will Hughes, James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Redmond, who went out in the group stage in 2015.

“There’s a bit of unfinished business from last time round with some of the players,” he said.