Grading England’s players (and manager) after a disastrous Euro 2016 campaign

England’s Euro 2016 campaign will go down in history as the latest in a lengthy sequence of abject failures at major tournaments. Their 2-1 defeat to Iceland in the last-16 is being regarded as their biggest embarrassment in the nation’s footballing history.

After just one, last-ditch victory in four games, it’s time to break down each player (and, of course, their manager) and dissect their flaws and point out any occasional positives. Each will be graded on a school/college system.

Joe Hart: E - A number of good saves prevent him from a dreaded ‘F’ grade but his clangers for Russia’s equaliser, Wales’ opener and Iceland’s shocking turnaround were nothing short of unacceptable for a player regarded as an irreplaceable number one by both one of the biggest clubs and one of the biggest international teams in Europe. If his starting place remains unwavering on the road to the 2018 World Cup, there is no justice.

Kyle Walker: C - Far too much energy, effort and hunger to receive a ‘fail’ grade but the right-back’s game was also well contained once opponents began to get a read on his rather-predictable approaches. Arguable that he would have thrived in France as part of a less-shambolic side.

Danny Rose: C - Very similar to his fellow Tottenham full-back albeit with slightly less praise (and, to be fair, slightly less threat across the three games he played). At his best, a solid part of the back four and a hard-working assistant to the attack. At his worst, he looked lost and sometimes even unprepared for the scenarios he found himself in.

Gary Cahill: D - Provided more last-ditch defending and clearances than England would have expected to contend with in four such fixtures, but was also exposed as off the pace and nowhere near the defensive leader the side needs at the heart of its back line.

Chris Smalling: C - The tournament’s leading clearance-maker as at the end of the round of 16, Smalling displayed enough to suggest he should be part of the attempt to bounce back from the ‘farce in France’ but also showed worrying weaknesses in aerial battles and could really do with more assurance from his goalkeeper or a defender.

Eric Dier: B - Perhaps the only England player to leave France with a truly enhanced reputation, Dier was regarded by some as the ‘Owen Hargreaves’ of the side, 10 years on from Hargreaves’ hard work amidst a sorry campaign in Germany. His season for both club and country have shown what an asset he can be in defensive midfield but also how much his game needs to mature in the long haul.

Dele Alli: D - He had a few moments, but the Euro 2016 campaign was arguably Alli’s first serious backward momentum in his short senior career so far. The decision to shoehorn Rooney into midfield affected Alli’s game more than anyone’s, and the former MK Dons man is not yet at a stage where he can work around such setbacks. One would imagine he’ll continue to be handled much more sensibly at club level.

Wayne Rooney: D - Many went out of their way to point out that Rooney wasn’t a terrible central midfielder, per se. He wasn’t. It must be said, Wayne was able to spray the ball around and hold his position about as well as you’d expect from a man on £300k a week who is regarded as the country’s best. However, the sacrifices made so that the FA and Rooney sympathisers can say “See? He’s not playing terrible, so he should always start” were fatal. Expect another dismal campaign in Russia in two years, if proving that Rooney isn’t a ‘terrible’ choice to start games remains the country’s priority.

Raheem Sterling: F - Sterling started the first two group games - and returned for the Iceland humiliation despite his performances in those first two games - because, in Roy Hodgson’s own words, the side ‘needed width’. Unfortunately, Hodgson also decided the side only needed width in the form of one actual wide midfielder who therefore knew he didn’t have to fight for a spot in the XI. Sterling’s highlights of the campaign were winning a penalty against Iceland and hitchhiking on England’s impressive (but ultimately futile) start to the Russia opener. While he doesn’t deserve to be isolated in fans’ criticism, he’s certainly near the top of the list of targets.

Adam Lallana: C - Started England’s three group games and provided creativity and threat in each, but it wasn’t enough to provide the moments of inspiration the side needed. Will be most fondly remembered for his role in their start against Russia, will be least fondly remembered for being hauled off for coming up blank against the stubborn and populous defending of Wales and Slovakia.

Harry Kane: E - While those who’ve pointed out how poorly a tired and overburdened Kane was managed in this tournament, even the striker himself will admit it will go down as one of his career lowlights. His reputation as a deadly and opportunistic front man was tarnished by having to work as a lone striker AND take set pieces half the time, muddying the waters of what brought him this far. Many doubted he could produce a second great season for Spurs after an excellent 2014/15, but now he’ll have to deliver the goods for a third season running just to wash the taste of France out of everyone’s mouth.

Daniel Sturridge: C - A memorable winner against Wales wasn’t enough to make up for two dry games against Slovakia and Iceland, though he’ll be wondering as much as everyone else why he wasn’t given the nod as the main front man in the last-16 with Kane flailing all tournament.

Jamie Vardy: C - Earned a place in the squad after a superb season with Premier League heroes Leicester, but in hindsight he probably would have taken a squad omission and extra holiday time if he knew the fast-paced style that turned him into a goal machine was entirely out of England’s repertoire. His instinctive leveller against Wales was just a glimmer of what could have been if the side played to their own strengths.

James Milner: D - It’s fair to say that Milner’s function as a ‘closer’ - a calm, sensible, versatile and experienced midfielder to bring on in second halves to help see out leads - was rendered moot by the team’s inability to create a lead to defend, barring 20 minutes versus Russia and a few seconds after taking the lead against Wales. However, in his seven-minute tournament display in Marseille, England failed to do exactly that and thus any sort of pass grade is out of the question.

Jack Wilshere: F - Three brief appearances - and one start! - for the out-of-sorts and out-of-match-fitness Arsenal midfielder while Ross Barkley spent the entire tournament on the bench and Mark Noble and Danny Drinkwater spent the entire tournament at home speaks volumes about the importance this country places on name value and FIFA video game covers over actually winning tournaments. Only the flagrant catering to Rooney prevents Wilshere from becoming the poster boy for the country’s current insufficiencies.

Jordan Henderson: E - Speaking of FIFA covers, Henderson was another player who’d inevitably get some pitch time, even before the squad was announced. He played just one game (started, as well, against Slovakia), his performance was all sizzle and no steak, and then he went back to wasting a perfectly good spot in the 23.

Marcus Rashford: C - 17 minutes of energy and hard work against Wales, and a few minutes at the end of the Iceland farce where he actually threatened to give England an undeserved lifeline. However, the big Rashford story at Euro 2016 for many is why he wasn’t given brought on against Slovakia, instead of the jaded Kane? In fact, considering that Iceland took the lead on 19 minutes, why did it take 87 for him to come on in Nice?

Roy Hodgson: U - In academic terms, a ‘U’ grade means unclassified or ungraded. It’s used for incomplete work or work to an unacceptable standard, where even an ‘F’ doesn’t quite cut it. And thus, the England manager who picked this squad (assuming the FA didn’t do it for him) based purely on marketability, who produced just one sensible tactical decision in four games against entirely beatable opposition (Vardy and Sturridge at half-time against Wales, something most fans and experts called for during the Russia game), who pretty much sat and watched his side be taught a lesson in effort, teamwork and desire by a country ranked outside the FIFA top 100 less than five years ago, and who regurgitated a pathetic prepared statement (which he’s probably had in his pocket since July 2014) after the game to resign whilst somehow praising the squad and the players does not even deserve an ‘F’ grade. I’d add that England’s football team will be better off without Hodgson, but it seems the FA are just as likely to hire another controllable ‘yes man’ (or worse, Alan Pardew) as his successor.