Gary Monk suggests that Roy Hodgson look across border for England recruits

Dyer scored twice in impressive display against West Brom

(Getty Images)

The Swansea manager, Garry Monk, cannot understand how his players are ignored by England at a time when there is a desire for technical ability in the Three Lions shirt.

There were only three English players in Monk’s starting line-up on Saturday for this dismantling of woeful West Bromwich Albion, but Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge and Jonjo Shelvey were at the heart of so much that was good about the home side’s play.

Dyer bookended the scoring, capitalising on a Jonas Olsson slip for the opener and racing on to a deft Gylfi Sigurdsson pass for the third, while Routledge’s brilliant improvised volley beat Ben Foster for the second.

The drive and range of passing from the former Liverpool midfielder Shelvey regularly put the visitors on the back foot. The trio could not have done any more to attract Roy Hodgson’s attention, and Monk said: “We all talk about how we want England to play nice, expansive football. A passing game with attacking football.

“I do feel when we are at our best there is not much better than us in terms of doing that. So to have those boys within that team who are English and performing well does make it strange.

“But the players can only keep doing what they are doing. Hopefully, something comes of it. That is not taking away from the guys called up this week, good luck to them, they definitely deserve their call-ups. But it does make you wonder, why not for us?”

Swansea’s fourth win on the trot made this the Welsh club’s best start to a season for 91 years.

Not that 35-year-old Monk is getting carried away, admitting the prospect of a manager-of-the-month award is a long way off his radar.

What is on his horizon is a transfer deadline day when he will hope to keep Wilfried Bony at the Liberty Stadium, while bringing in a full-back and winger.

“I do not expect an offer for Wilf,” he said. “If it comes it comes, but we are in a very strong position where we don’t have to sell any player.”

Defeat ended West Bromwich’s own unbeaten Premier League start, but Alan Irvine is still waiting to field several of his 11 summer signings, including the defender Joleon Lescott, who is to head to America in an effort to get him ready to play after the international break.

“He is going for a fitness routine over there with people whom I know from my time at Everton,” said Irvine

“It’s a pre-season programme for him with people who have worked with him before. There isn’t a concern but it was felt that might be the best approach for him at this particular moment.”