England

cafcinperth

The England gaffer is going to invite all the senior injured or suspended players - like Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen - to join the squad and offer their support. (Various)

So they can say to the players taking their place "your only playing cause I can't , so no matter how well you do as soon as I am fit you will be droped. So please go win for me."

Surely in such a game the importance of the event is all they need?

TEL

You would certainly think so. Sadly these days, just pulling on the shirt isn't enough. I've never rated McClaren and I never will...he doesn't have a mind of his own. Consistently picks favourites (like Downing) and who in their right mind would pick a player who was out all season and just returning from injury.....Players should be picked on merit...if they are consistantly playing at the top of their game, they should be picked....not because of who they are...until we do this, we will never be a leading force in world football.

Ormiston_Addick

[quote][cite]Posted By: Tel-in-Oz[/cite]You would certainly think so. Sadly these days, just pulling on the shirt isn't enough. I've never rated McClaren and I never will...he doesn't have a mind of his own. Consistently picks favourites (like Downing) and who in their right mind would pick a player who was out all season and just returning from injury.....Players should be picked on merit...if they are consistantly playing at the top of their game, they should be picked....not because of who they are...until we do this, we will never be a leading force in world football.[/quote]

True Tel, but we will also never be a force until we sort out the mess in our top division where our Champions League sides contain only between 0-3 English players apiece in their best XI's.

In fact, you can name the England XI from those players alone (apart from the keeper and Beckham): Robinson, G Neville, Terry, Ferdinand, A Cole, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Rooney, Crouch.

That's two Liverpool players, three Man Utd players, four Chelsea players (one of whom, Joe Cole, is not a regular starter for Chelsea) and NONE from Arsenal.

Not exactly rocket science working out the problem, is it?

Friend Or Defoe

Anyone going to the game on Wednesday, if so which pubs are people drinking in?

Rothko

I'm going, but probably going straight from work to Wembley

Southendaddick

Im going, got half day.

Drinking in our lucky pub at Great Portland Street