Euro 2016: Joey Barton slams England star Raheem Sterling and reckons forward is lucky to be in Three Lions squad

FORMER Manchester City star Joey Barton has launched a scathing attack on Raheem Sterling ahead of England’s Euro 2016 knockout clash with Iceland.

Sterling has been named in the starting line-up by Roy Hodgson tonight, with Liverpool winger Adam Lallana dropping to the bench.

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The City forward has failed to live up to expectations alongside Harry Kane in attack, and many believe the Three Lions would be better off handing a chance to Leicester’s title-winning striker Jamie Vardy.

And Barton, who has just signed for Rangers after leading Burnley back to the Premier League, reckons that even new Etihad boss Pep Guardiola will struggle to improve Sterling as a player.

Writing in his column for French newspaper L’Equipe, Barton also claims that Sterling would not have even made the Euro squad for countries such as France and Germany, adding that the first three weeks under Guardiola will be crucial.

Barton wrote: “Raheem Sterling has been poor for two years now.

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“Unfortunately, he has not been coached well enough. If you take away his pace he is really weak, very limited technically.

“With his final ball, he is imprecise or clumsy. Without his pace, would he be a professional? If he weren’t so quick, he would not be apt to do the job. And to think he cost £50m!

“I am really perplexed to see him in the national team after the season he has had. With France, Germany, Belgium or Spain, he would never be picked.

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“For England he is a started and that says we are not that well stocked in the attacking department. I don’t want to write him off completely because he is still young.

“With Guardiola, we will know within three weeks: either he will cut from the group because he will find him not good enough technically or he will help him get better.

“But your touch on the ball, your quality of your control, I don’t know if you can learn that at 21-years-old.”