England Manager Roy Hodgson has stressed the importance of the forthcoming friendlies against Chile and Germany and says it is a big chance for the likes of Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana to stake their claim for a place at the World Cup next summer.
Hodgson named his squad for the games at Wembley and has handed a first call-up to Rodriguez who has been outstanding for Southampton this season.
His Saints team-mate Lallana has also been named in the senior squad for only the second time in his career.
And with England securing qualification for the showpiece event in Brazil next summer following their recent victory over Poland, Hodgson was quick to praise the fans who got behind the team and says the next few games will be crucial for him as he starts to plan his squad for the Finals in South America.
Hodgson said: "I'd like to put on record how pleased I am with the players for their efforts (in qualifying for the World Cup). I thought we were very ably backed up by the atmosphere at Wembley, the supporters pulled out some stops - Poland had a lot of supporters there.
"We're looking forward to Brazil, we've only got three games before I have to name the squad for Brazil so this preparation period is very important.
"It does temper my thinking in the sense that I'm trying to achieve a balance between players who have not played many games, giving players a chance to show what they can do and keeping together a group of players that need to play together.
“We've only got three games before I have to name the squad for Brazil, so this preparation period is very important.”
Roy Hodgson England Manager
"With Jay [Rodriguez], Danny Welbeck has been injured, we hope he will be fit, but we see Jay filling that Welbeck role, a wide forward who likes to go forward and attack people.
"Adam was with us once a long time ago. We saw him in training, we have been following him closely and he played a major part in Southampton's rise to the top. Quite obviously, we would pick him."
Hodgson also confirmed that goalkeeper Joe Hart will start at least one of the games, despite being recently left out of the team by Manchester City of late.
Hodgson revealed he will take the chance to look at Fraser Forster and John Ruddy in the other game and keep his options open.
He added: "He'll (Hart) start one of the two games. I don't think he'll start both because I feel it is important for me to look at one of the other two, possibly both.
"But I can say Joe will definitely start one because he is our number one goalkeeper. I would guess more likely Germany than Chile, but I wouldn't like to be held to that.”
