Micah Richards blown away by ‘amazing’ Jarrad Branthwaite Everton win over Chelsea, star now set for Euros with England
Jarrad Branthwaite is “going to the very top” and the “amazing” Everton defender should be in the England squad for the Euros, according to Micah Richards.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast on 11 December the Sky Sports pundit raved about the Toffees youngster following his performance in the 2-0 win over Chelsea a day earlier, and backed him for Gareth Southgate’s international side in the summer on the way to the pinnacle of the game.
Branthwaite, 21, is in his first season as a first-team regular at Goodison Park but has emerged as a key part of Sean Dyche’s line-up, and Richards believes the Toffees have a genuine star in their ranks.
Richards said (19m 40s): “Young Branthwaite at the back was amazing. He’s going to the very top, his decision-making, he reads the game well, he’s quick enough, makes the right decisions.
“He’s got an experienced head with [James] Tarkowski beside him, and he’s got a manager who loves the defensive side of the game, so marry all them together they deserve all the credit.”
“Too early, Branthwaite, for the Euros Micah?” asked Gary Lineker.
“No not too early,” Richards replied. “I would take him, get him the experience. If you look at the centre-halves, you’re looking at [Harry] Maguire, [John] Stones, possibly [Marc] Guehi, you’re looking at [Lewis] Dunk, but there’s not a great amount is there?
“I would take him for the experience, not put too much pressure on him… because he’s going to the very top, he really is.”
Star in the making
When Everton were accepting cash for various young prospects in the summer in an attempt to boost their budget to make crucial signings they were unmoved by interest in Branthwaite.
That should probably have been the signal that he was on a level, or a few, above the likes of Ellis Simms and Ishe Samuels-Smith in the eyes of the club’s hierarchy.
While so much of the operation at Goodison Park has been mismanaged in recent seasons it appears the club have got it spot on with the centre-back, having sent him on a very beneficial loan to PSV Eindhoven last season where the former Carlisle United man has clearly developed hugely.
The Dutch club wanted to keep him and there was interest reported from Manchester United in the summer but he has come into the Everton first team and is now arguably the jewel in the crown already.
As with any talented English youngster there is a certain amount of hype involved, but what he has shown so far this season does suggest Richards hasn’t gone overboard.
With interest now increasing from Tottenham ahead of the January window [Sky Sports, 7 December] the Toffees surely need to hold firm once more to ensure he doesn’t go anywhere.
He’s been a big part of the impressive form under Dyche and his partnership with Tarkowski looks to have made Everton an entirely different prospect at the back.
He isn’t perfect yet, just as the man next to him isn’t, but he is absolutely a strength that the Toffees need to continue capitalising on in the team and not the market.
In other Everton news, the new owners are set to push for immediate new signings to give to Sean Dyche with the takeover tipped for imminent completion.