Roy Hodgson's reassures Andros Townsend over his England prospects at relegated Newcastle

Townsend, in Hodgson’s provisional 26-man squad for Euro 2016, hopes to feature against Australia at the Stadium of Light tomorrow.

The winger was recalled by Hodgson after hitting form for Newcastle in the latter part of the season.

Townsend left Tottenham Hotspur in January hoping to resurrect his England career after falling out of favour at White Hart Lane.

The 24-year-old was been tipped for a summer exit, but Hodgson has reassured Townsend that he will be considered even if he is playing Championship football.

“It doesn’t impact on his (international) career in any particular way,” said Hodgson,

“The main thing after such a serious injury and the fact that when he recovered he wasn’t getting a regular game for his club was for Andros to play for a manager who believed in him.

“He’s been given that chance first by Steve McClaren snd then Rafa Benitez, and it’s given us with that slightly enlarged squad to take a look at him.

“I picked him when he wasn’t playing for any senior team at all – he was just sitting on the bench or in the reserves at Tottenham Hotspur – and I’ve done that for a few players.

“But for him to be in the (England) team, he needs to be the Andros Townsend we’ve seen in the past.

“We would need an awful lot more (English) talent in the Premier League before we got to the stage of leaving players out because they were playing in another division.”

Hodgson has until midnight on Tuesday to confirm his final 23-man selection for Euro 2016.