Goalkeepers: Robert Green (West Ham), Joe Hart (Man City) John Ruddy (Norwich). Ruddy has since been replaced after breaking a fingeer
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill(Chelsea), Ashley Cole(Chelsea), Glen Johnson(Liverpool), Phil Jones(Man Utd), Joleon Lescott(Man City), John Terry (Chelsea)
Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Man City), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Steven Gerrard(Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner(Man City), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Alex Ox-Chamberlain(Arsenal), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Ashley Young(Man Utd)
Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), Danny Welbeck(Man Utd), Jermaine Defoe(Tottenham)
Straight to business. That's Mr. Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad. Quite frankly, am disappointed in it being an England fan. I'll state categorically that the reason England failed at the World Cup in 2010 was because they took unfit players there in the first place. Rooney, Gerrard et al. I'll highlight a few of my concerns:
1. Why take injured players to the tournament? Glenn Johnson. His standby option is Phil Neville and/or Martin Kelly. I have no doubt about them really, its just that a quality right back by the name of Micah Richards is available and not being utilised. If he is injured, let him stay out. Scott Parker(Central Midfielder) is another one. Why leave Michael Carrick, another experienced central midfielder, out of it? In fact he's not even on the standby squad. Parker's replacements are Andy Johnson(winger) and Jordan Henderson, a young inexperienced kid who plays in the same position. Mind you during the world cup in South Africa, Rooney could not perform. He was in the tournament few weeks after getting a knock during the Man United - Bayern game, remember? Steven Gerrard hadn't even recovered fully from his own injuries. Yet, Capello, then then England manager ferried his crippled players to the World Cup. Am a United fan, but I don't support Welbeck being in there. 2 reasons: 1. He's still inexperienced and hasn't been all that in the season and 2. He's injured. Whatever happened to Peter Crouch? Or Grant Holt? The poor souls played their hearts out all season and what do they get? No calls. And then Welbeck and Carrol given call ups to the squad.
2. What the hell is John Terry even doing in that squad? And no Mr Hodgson. I won't buy that hogwash, that you brought him in for footballing reasons. Rio Ferdinand is a perfectly experienced footballer who can play in that position too. John Terry is, if you ask me, being favored by the English football association. I think they don't want him to be punished. Suarez's case was done and dusted in no time and the lil fella served his 8-match ban. John Terry's case on the other hand, it was shelved until July... after the Euros. I think there was foul-play there. And now to deny a perfectly fit human being the chance to represent his country and replacing him with John Terry... The Ferdinand's are the victims in this story.
Am gonna support Germany as my back-up team in this tournament. I don't see England going far. They face France, Ukraine and Sweden.
France is a really good young team that has already gelled. Sweden, they have some good attacking midfielders... and Ibrahimovic upfront, he is lethal. Ask Arsenal fans, they'll tell you. And Ukraine... well you remember Shevchenko, dont you? he was lethal in front of goal at one point in his life. now he's 35. OMG, I just rhymed. Hard to run away from a poetic past, eh? Story for another day, that.
Anyway, my point is... You just never know just how good their squad is now. They have young players in their squad now. I know some of them since I play with the team on play station, and lots of other small teams
Although I think they could learn from their past mistakes and try at least come out of the group stage.
Thats all the ranting I had to do for now. What are your thoughts on the England team?
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