England squad want Marcus Rashford to go to Euro 2016… Because he speaks the lingo
MARCUS RASHFORD’S England team-mates want him to be at the Euro 2016 finals in France – he’s the only one who speaks the lingo!
The brainy 18-year-old striker — who took 12 GCSEs — is formidable at French and would be pushed to the front of the queue to order drinks and meals for the Three Lions when they have down time away from their luxury retreat.
Roy Hodgson’s men are staying in a five star hotel in the quaint French town of Chantilly which is close to a stately home packed with antiques and Old Master paintings.
And brainbox Marcus — who also enjoys playing Scrabble — could help this older team-mates immerse themselves in the culture of the area.
A source said: “Marcus is a clever lad. He is quiet and studious and is not your average type of footballer who is just interested in playing golf or on an Xbox.
“He would provide another dimension to the squad. He has a maturity beyond his years and Roy is looking for a good mix within the squad. He’s also excellent at French so could get the coffees and croissants in for the rest of the lads.
“Most of the French they know has been learned from Del Boy.”
The England team will stay at the plush Auberge du Jeu Paume hotel in France that stands in the grounds of the Chateau de Chantilly.
The house was the lair of psychopathic industrialist Max Zorin — played by Christopher Walken — in View to a Kill.
And Roy and his players will stroll in the stunning gardens and have access to the house and Great Stables that featured prominently in the 1985 movie in which Roger Moore played 007.
The chateau’s art gallery houses one of the best collections in France and is home to works by Botticelli and Raphael.
The Chantilly racecourse is also a short stroll from the hotel’s front door but the only meets on during their stay in France will clash with matches.
Suites in the hotel can cost up to £1,500-a-night.
But cost-conscious Roy has turned his back on a £1,500-a-night presidential suite to mastermind the Three Lions’ Euro 2016 campaign.
Instead he will bed down in a £200 ‘standard’ room just like the rest of the squad in the five-star hotel nestling in the French countryside.
And they won’t be tucking into the fancy flop’s £150-a-head tasting menu in the hotel’s two Michelin starred restaurant either.
That’s because the FA has employed its own chef to cook healthy meals that are a world away from the wood pigeon, caviar and vintage Champagne on the menu at the Auberge du Jeu Paume, where a plate of mushrooms is an eye-watering £33.
Roy’s Boys qualified for the tournament with a perfect 10 victories under their belts that should help them sleep easy in their beds at the luxury French getaway.
This hotel, set in its own grounds 25 miles from Paris, boasts it “exudes timeless elegance and comfort” and its proximity to the racecourse should please horse-loving Roy, 68.
A FA spokesman said: “The technical staff are happy with the facilities and location. The FA will negotiate accommodation costs through the hotel and UEFA.”