Just a few months ago I wrote a blog where I was massively behind England’s chances of winning the World Cup. I was urged by learned friends of football to tone down my enthusiasm with a bitter dose of realism. At every step of the way I continued to remind them that this time was different, England had a manager who would show all the Gladiatorial spirit his ancestors possessed and fire England home on a chariot of World Cup glory. Then the Italian, to whom I entrusted much of my credibility, names his 23-man squad. And my opinion has changed.
I have noted countless times that England sure not a world-class side, that’s not a negative, or a me being a cynical fan. It is a dose of realism that all England fans by now, I am sure, believes to be conventional wisdom. So if Steven Gerrard is to wrap his arms around the famous trophy in Johannesburg, England are going to need to have a whole lot of luck, married with some favorable refereeing decision, with a few red cards for opposition key players in crucial games, married to an injury-free Wayne Rooney throughout the tournament with a sprinkling of England’s famous bulldog spirit. England will win nothing through caution and if Fabio believes experience over youthful exuberance is the way forward then we beg to differ.
Like most fans looking at the 23, we find it simply incredible that Adam Johnson and Darren Bent are omitted from the 23 simply because those deemed to be more beneficial to England cannot even get a game at club level. Shaun Wright-Phillips for example, has been continuously been surplus to requirements since Adam Johnson moved to Manchester City in January. The trickery of the 22 year-old was winning the praise of England captain Steven Gerrard in training last week. When was the last time you heard Stevie G signing the praises of Wright-Phillips? When was the last time Michael Carrick had a good game yet Scott ‘parker who has single handedly kept West ham in the top flight and has all the spirit in the world was overlooked? When was the last time Emile Heskey scored?
The truth is, the latter is a man that divides opinion in this country even more than marmite. For some, Heskey has to go because he causes defenders so much trouble, and is the perfect foil for Rooney. To them it doesn’t matter that he cannot put the ball in the back of the net. To them it doesn’t matter that his passing his woeful and he is about as vicious as Mother Theresa. The notion that Heskey is essential to Rooney’s forward play is the biggest pile of you-know-what. If it were true then why did Sir Alex Ferguson not snap up Heskey? Rooney plays up front on his own these days and is mighty successful doing it. Lennon of him on the right and Cole of him on the left will see Rooney take the World Cup by storm, of that I have no doubt. But what country leaves behind their second top goalscorer over the last 4 years? What other nation suggests that a natural goalscorer who has put the ball in the back of the net versus United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs this season, is somehow not good enough to be going? That’s right, you guessed it…team’s that actually win the World Cup.
Please don’t read this and suggest that I am a cynic writing off England’s chances because that is far from the truth. I am however heeding the advice of some and allowing myself an element of realism in my renewed judgment. In Fabio I trusted. Trusted to be brave and bold, believing in better which perhaps meant taking a chance with an unknown instead of accepting our fate with the security of experience. Like every single game of football, and the reason we love it so much, when the England team crosses the white line anything can happen. Football is a game that is hugely unpredictable because all 11 players can perform but still lose the match. Although I don’t agree with many of Fabio’s selection, it is now time for the talking to stop, the believing to begin and for the entire nation, around the game that we gave to the world, dare to dream!
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).
Defenders: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).
Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).
Forwards: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).
Gavin Callaghan
No comments:
Post a Comment