Danny Dyer calls Tuchel's Jarrod Bowen World Cup snub 'an absolute joke'

Danny Dyer has launched a stinging attack on Thomas Tuchel’s decision to omit Jarrod Bowen from England’s World Cup squad, calling it “a joke” and predicting the Three Lions will suffer for the absence of the West Ham captain.

Bowen, 29, was among the most high-profile players left out of Tuchel’s squad for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The snub compounded a bruising end to the season for the forward, who was also relegated to the Championship with West Ham after Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 win over Everton condemned the Hammers to the second tier.

Dyer, whose daughter Dani is married to Bowen, made no attempt to hide his frustration when speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show. “It’s a double whammy for him, he had a terrible weekend, it’s awful,” Dyer said. “He didn’t get called, which is a joke, by the way. I might be slightly biased, but that boy… We were half booking flights. That’s how confident we were. And then it turns out he got the call [saying no]. So it’s a tough weekend for the kid.”

Dyer went further, questioning England’s prospects without Bowen in the squad. “He’s got a big heart, man, and he should be on that plane. I think it’s ridiculous. Without Jarrod, they’re going to struggle. I don’t think we’ll beat Croatia in the first game. Anyone decent we’ve played, Senegal we lost to, Japan — as soon as he’s had a test, we’ve failed. I hope I’m wrong and I hope it’s a good thing, but Jarrod should be on that plane.”

Tuchel acknowledged the difficulty of the call when explaining his selection. “Jarrod was just excellent in every camp for us and then gets the phone call that he’s not on the plane,” the England manager said. “Does Jarrod suffer a bit from the situation at his club? Does Noni [Madueke] and Bukayo [Saka] profit from the situation of their club?”

Bowen finished last season with nine goals and 11 assists in 38 Premier League appearances, but West Ham’s relegation appears to have weighed against him in Tuchel’s thinking. His future at the club also remains uncertain, with Chelsea and Manchester United among the sides linked with a move for the 29-year-old.