Roy Keane: Man United duo Chris Smalling and Phil Jones aren't good enough to play for England



Man United hero Roy Keane warns Phil Jones to toughen up if he wants to cement a place at Old Trafford



Keane also believes Jones and United team-mate Chris Smalling have gone 'backwards' in their development

Both players were named in Roy Hodgson's England squad on Monday



Roy Keane has warned Phil Jones he needs to toughen up if he wants to make it as a Manchester United player.

Jones was touted as the new Duncan Edwards when he signed in a £16.5million deal from Blackburn Rovers in 2011.

But Keane claims the defender has spent too much time injured and, like team-mate Chris Smalling, who signed from Fulham for £10m a year earlier, has gone backwards in his development. Keane said: ‘We were told Jones was going to be the new Duncan Edwards - Smalling was going to be this and that.



VIDEO Scroll down for Keane: United players should be ashamed of themselves



Warned: Roy Keane has told Phil Jones (right) he needs to toughen up if he wants to make it at Man United Criticism: Keane believes Chris Smalling (left) has gone backwards in his development with Man United Unconvinced: Keane says the United duo need to do better if they want to cement a place at Old Trafford

‘I’ve watched United live nine or 10 times this year and they have been none of those things. If anything I think they have gone backwards.

‘You say you have to give players a chance to mature, but also you’ve got players who you say, “We’ve given you a chance and you’re not taking it”. They need to do a lot better if they want to cement their place at United.

‘Jones needs to toughen up. Every time I see him he is getting carried off.’



Roy Hodgson has picked both players in his England World Cup squad but they are likely to be in only as back-up to Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka in the centre of defence. Asked if they were good enough to cover at centre back, Keane added: ‘Not on their current form. The two of them have had disappointing seasons.

‘But England might need them, you may get players who get injured. Maybe in other positions they might be needed. Maybe that is one of the reasons why Roy has taken Jones and Smalling, with the thinking that they can play full back or midfield.’



Been there and done it: Keane spent 12 years at Old Trafford and made over 300 appearances for United

There could be more pressure on the pair to perform for United after this summer’s tournament now that Nemanja Vidic has left for Inter Milan and Rio Ferdinand is not having his contract renewed.

Ferdinand was disappointed that he was informed of the decision by chief executive Ed Woodward straight after their final game of the season against Southampton, but Keane said he shouldn’t be surprised.



He said: ‘If United are interested in keeping players or doing deals, they would have done it months ago.

‘It is no shock to hear that he is leaving. It happens when you get to 35, that’s the other side of football. I don’t think Rio will be short of offers.’

Waving goodbye: Keane wasn't shocked to hear 35-year-old Rio Ferdinand was leaving Man United

Meanwhile, Michael Owen has called on Jones, Smalling and the rest of England’s young lions to be fearless in their quest for World Cup glory this summer.

Former England striker Owen earned international recognition as a precocious 18-year-old during the World Cup in France in 1998. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw could make a similar impact this summer.

And Owen said: ‘The advantage for the young players is that they will be fearless. When you go to a World Cup and you’re young you have no scars. You have only been used to success in youth football. Players like myself who hadn’t got used to any form of failure, it can be the biggest trump card you can play.

‘They are all good players, now it’s all about what’s between your ears.

Arrival: Michael Owen burst onto the international scene after scoring against Argentina at World Cup 98

‘Are you tough enough, brave enough, courageous enough to get the ball when you’re not playing well? There’s 90,000 people, it’s boiling hot and you just want to curl up and die because you’re knackered - and you’re still taking the ball.

‘That’s bravery that no one else sees apart from your mate on the pitch.

‘It’s now about who has got the confidence and the arrogance to go out and take the World Cup by storm.’

