Perhaps I am being a little ambitious delving deep into the nuts and bolts of the England team dynamic when there isn’t even an official manager in charge, but I’m going to soldier on anyway. Someone has to, right? Whether it be Stuart Pearce, John Terry, ‘Arry Redknapp or whoever in charge in Poland and the Ukraine this summer, the gaffer has to select players in good form rather than those who walk into the team time and again based on this stupid reputation, translated as indispensable Premier League experience that will manifest itself effectively on the international stage. Utter ludicrous!
Jamie Carragher has been a tremendous servant in the Premier League for Liverpool but that didn’t stop some shaky performances in the 2010 World Cup, after a desperate, last ditch attempt to coax him out of international retirement! You see the thing is, England and The FA have built up this nature of desperation over the years with several calamitous PR boo-boo’s and managerial mishaps. After all, which international body strips John Terry of the captaincy for a set number of negative reasons and then gives him it back simply because time heals everything. Hmm.
England no longer have to make drama-ridden decisions and contribute to their own downfall and cynicism; simply if they do things a bit differently for once. For the first time heading into a major tournament, there is no real expectation or excitement surfacing in the months immediately prior to the big kick off. This difference may well play into the Three Lions hands; after all expectation can sometimes weigh heavy on team inhibitions. It’s been well documented before that the national feel-good factor in the months leading up to an international tournament has been damaging in that countless old hits including Baddiel and Skinner and drab one-off TV series featuring James Corden for the umpteenth time only build up false hopes to see them crumble down miserably.
Scrap the gimmicks, and try something different. England have a number of talents with real contention for a berth this summer. The PFA Young Player of The Year Kyle Walker is undoubtedly many people’s first choice at right back, and Micah Richards should be his able deputy. Glen Johnson’s injury has indeed set him back and after walking into the team over the Capello era, his time may be up for the time being. At centre half the Chelsea defensive partnership of John Terry and Gary Cahill would be my preferred option. For me Terry has had an ordinary season himself, but Rio Ferdinand has particularly been a shadow of his former self and the Ferdinand-Terry partnership is more dated nowadays than an old 1982 Sauvignon Blanc. At left back, Ashley Cole still offers experience and assurance, but Leighton Baines has been equally adept, and even more cavalier in his attempts to get forward, so why not start the Everton man? After all he was the left back of the season in the PFA Team of The Year.
What I’m saying is that far too often, certain England regulars seemingly grow complacent at the blind faith of their managers in continually selecting them for contention. Whilst an Ashley Cole might possess more international experience than a Baines or whilst a Gerrard may have more experience than a Cleverley, hadn’t we tried and concluded in South Africa that the old stagers had had their time? What’s going to improve two years later? Indeed it is likely that the Phil Jones’, Daniel Sturridge’s and Danny Welbeck’s of this world will be in and around the squad but the likely proposition is that the tired old selections of Stewart Downing, Gareth Barry and Theo Walcott will again receive prioritised game time.
We all looked on in envy 2010 as we were put to the sword by a young-looking German outfit who struck the balance between experience and youth perfectly. This time round, we should forget our pride and look at the German model and not pander to the player power and reputation of those with superior numbers of caps. After all, Michael Ballack was ousted from Joachim Low’s international reckoning and ever since Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger have forged a mean looking central pairing. It’s all about closing doors and opening others ones up. Disappointingly, the door for many England regulars has been ajar far too long.
Buying players in form can be damaging in domestic football with system adaptation and long-term ability being questionable, but selecting ‘form’ players for three and a bit weeks in June is far less of a gamble, and this conclusion should fall foremost in the mind of the England manager this summer.
Have the ‘old guard’ had their time? Who would be your England starting XI this June? Post your suggestions @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989
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