England squad...

[Hoop Blah]

Without a doubt I think the unavailble XI would be just as good, if not better, than the one we're taking.

Rooney would be available for the unavailables for 2 games as well!

[Alan Partridge]

It's unfortunate this whole Rio thing, he's been caught in the middle of it all but it's not Hodgson's fault either. The only thing for debate is Terry a better option than Rio? You could make a case for both and it's certainyl not something completely obvious. They both have merits and both have glaring weaknesses. If Rio's fitness is even slightly doubtful then Terry has to be the selection especially now with the others dropping like flies. Imagine if RIo broke down after the first game then we'd have no one left.

Everyone knows the reason why he's not in the squad, it would be professional suicide if Hodgson had included them both. It's made even worse by the fact they'd both play and they play in the same postiion where they would have to work together. The press would be just waiting for the first signs of discontent and questions and the focus would all be about those 2. For the groups benefit you can't have the pair of them.

I think it was cmonurz who mentioned and I agree with I'm sick to death with players making themselves unavailable. It just sums up the modern over pampered lifestyles these pricks lead when they can turn their noses up to their country and say well if I'm not starting or if I'm not starting in this position then I don't want to go. Fcuk off then.

It should be the ultimate honour to represent your country at a major tournament finals, even a friendly should be treated with similar respect. Take Micah Richards, now I like Micah Richard as a player, he'd be my at best 2nd choice right back for these finals with everyone fit but again I could see why Roy would make him 3rd choice, at the time of naming the squad. Kyle Walker is the best RB in the Prem so would have been 1st choice, Glen Johnson is the most experienced RB England have so you could make a case for him being the 2nd choice and Micah finished the season as City's 2nd choice right back. Ben Foster is another one, ideally I'd have him and Robinson as 2nd and 3rd choice, but are they better than Joe Hart? Not even close. Who do these blokes think they are? If you country wants you to go along and help or be a backup player then that's what you should do. With the way players are dropping out it can soon all change around.

I don't care that Martin Kelly is going, at least he's said yep I'll go and try and help, do my bit. He's not going to play barring a total disaster but at least he's not been a total cnut like RIchards, Foster, Carrick, Carragher et all. Fcuk all of them and I never want to see any of them near the ENgland setup ever again. It's not or shouldn't be a choice whether you want to play for England, once you say no then that's it. Cya.

[Wax Jacket]

nice work

[southbank1871]

Good post AP.

[TBM]

Did Micah Richards say he didn't want to be a reserve then?

[Alan Partridge]

Did Micah Richards say he didn't want to be a reserve then?

Yes. Hodgson wanted to name him as a standby but Richards said no, was what I heard on 5live the other day.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Spot on AP, spot on.

[TBM]

As i said about Carrick, on another thread, i bet they are really kicking themselves now

[Wax Jacket]

Watched a fair bit of France v Estonia yesterday

France are sort of like a Premiership version of Barcelona (maybe like Man City actually) - they try and play the short stuff through the middle but tend tolose patience and put it out wide for the full-backs to try and cross it in quite a bit. seem also to rely on bursts of individual talent quite a bit but that makes sense as they've got a lot fo it. in short we'll have to defend quite a lot but their defence looks crap so at least we'll ahve chances on the counter.

[Alan Partridge]

Watched a fair bit of France v Estonia yesterday

France are sort of like a Premiership version of Barcelona (maybe like Man City actually) - they try and play the short stuff through the middle but tend tolose patience and put it out wide for the full-backs to try and cross it in quite a bit. seem also to rely on bursts of individual talent quite a bit but that makes sense as they've got a lot fo it. in short we'll have to defend quite a lot but their defence looks crap so at least we'll ahve chances on the counter.

i've had a dabble on France to win it so that should mean they finish last in the group.

[TBM]

Lets hope Terry and Cole have been taking the training sessions then....

[Hoop Blah]

Apparently the story with Richards was that he didn't take well to being left out of the 23 and only being told about it by Pearce instead of Hidgson himself. Because of that he said he didn't want to be on the standby list.

I like the way Hodgson has gone about selecting his replacements just from those that were on the standby list. It shows he gives a toss about players wanting to be part of what he's doing.

[Alan Partridge]

Apparently the story with Richards was that he didn't take well to being left out of the 23 and only being told about it by Pearce instead of Hidgson himself. Because of that he said he didn't want to be on the standby list.

I like the way Hodgson has gone about selecting his replacements just from those that were on the standby list. It shows he gives a toss about players wanting to be part of what he's doing.

Poor little fella Is Hodgson supposed to call up every player eligible for England he doesn't select to give them a reason?, hope he gives the phone bill to the FA, I didn't get a phone call

Agree, in recent years there has been more focus on getting the lads that have done well for the u21's into the 1st team setup and I think that's a good idea for the long term rather than fly by night 30 somethings on the back of their 1 good season in their career.

[Extended-Phenotype]

It's unfortunate this whole Rio thing, he's been caught in the middle of it all but it's not Hodgson's fault either. The only thing for debate is Terry a better option than Rio? You could make a case for both and it's certainyl not something completely obvious. They both have merits and both have glaring weaknesses. If Rio's fitness is even slightly doubtful then Terry has to be the selection especially now with the others dropping like flies. Imagine if RIo broke down after the first game then we'd have no one left.

Everyone knows the reason why he's not in the squad, it would be professional suicide if Hodgson had included them both. It's made even worse by the fact they'd both play and they play in the same postiion where they would have to work together. The press would be just waiting for the first signs of discontent and questions and the focus would all be about those 2. For the groups benefit you can't have the pair of them.

I think it was cmonurz who mentioned and I agree with I'm sick to death with players making themselves unavailable. It just sums up the modern over pampered lifestyles these pricks lead when they can turn their noses up to their country and say well if I'm not starting or if I'm not starting in this position then I don't want to go. Fcuk off then.

It should be the ultimate honour to represent your country at a major tournament finals, even a friendly should be treated with similar respect. Take Micah Richards, now I like Micah Richard as a player, he'd be my at best 2nd choice right back for these finals with everyone fit but again I could see why Roy would make him 3rd choice, at the time of naming the squad. Kyle Walker is the best RB in the Prem so would have been 1st choice, Glen Johnson is the most experienced RB England have so you could make a case for him being the 2nd choice and Micah finished the season as City's 2nd choice right back. Ben Foster is another one, ideally I'd have him and Robinson as 2nd and 3rd choice, but are they better than Joe Hart? Not even close. Who do these blokes think they are? If you country wants you to go along and help or be a backup player then that's what you should do. With the way players are dropping out it can soon all change around.

I don't care that Martin Kelly is going, at least he's said yep I'll go and try and help, do my bit. He's not going to play barring a total disaster but at least he's not been a total cnut like RIchards, Foster, Carrick, Carragher et all. Fcuk all of them and I never want to see any of them near the ENgland setup ever again. It's not or shouldn't be a choice whether you want to play for England, once you say no then that's it. Cya.

Great post.

Personally, I'm confused at the Terry thing. He's not at the top of his game and there are plenty of players we could have taken in his place, including Ferdinand. As a manager, why put yourself in a position where you have to eliminate innocent candidates because one you did select is on charge for racism?

I know Terry is still in the mix of top CB’s this country has, but I don’t see him as that much better than anybody else that it would be worth risking your reputation by ‘taking sides’.

Hodgeson had a much better excuse for excluding Terry, that even Terry would have understood –

“sorry mate, you have a serious charge hanging over your head, innocent or guilty it’s going to unsettle the squad, hinder who I can pick and be a huge distraction for the team and more importantly, yourself. You understand I can’t take you to the Euro’s.”

Hodgeson keeps his reputation, makes a difficult morally and admirable decision and is what? Left with a CB of arguably only slightly lesser quality.

Instead he’s alienated others, has had to invent some silly excuse for leaving people out, has taken the side of a possible racist and whipped up a media circus for a player of whose quality peoples opinion seems to be divided.

I’m just not sure Terry is worth the possible fallout.

[Wax Jacket]

the other thing that you occasionally hear mentioned is that Rio is a bit of a nob in the dressing room, has a big clique around him. probably a Coffee Club, that sort of thing

[TBM]

Personally, I'm confused at the Terry thing. He's not at the top of his game and there are plenty of players we could have taken in his place, including Ferdinand.

You sure?

Personally i think Terry has had a cracking 2nd half to the season

[Wax Jacket]

tbf it does look like Roy wants us to play like Chelsea did at the end of the season so we wouldn't really need a ball-playing centre half

[Hoop Blah]

Personally, I'm confused at the Terry thing. He's not at the top of his game and there are plenty of players we could have taken in his place, including Ferdinand.

You sure?

Personally i think Terry has had a cracking 2nd half to the season

Agreed. Once AVB left, and possibly leading up to that as well, he was playing well again, although that fell apart a bit over the last week or so of the season.

The question marks over Ferdinands fitness and ability to get through a tournament schedule must've worked against him.

[Alan Partridge]

Agree completely, for the record I personally wouldn't have taken Terry because a) he's a cnut and b) he's not good enough to warrant going at the detriment of others like you say, he's not been great recently (in the games I've seen) and others have been better. Of the 2 if he's 100% fit then I'd have taken Rio. But I can understand why Hodgson has chosen Terry as he's played a lot for England in recent times (more than Rio), is an experienced leader within the group + Rio's supposed injury concenrs and once he has chosen him then Rio simply can't go as well.

Terry, Lescott, Jagielka and Jones is still decent centre backs to be fair. Defensively I still have no worries over England, it's whether we'll score enough or any goals especially as Rooney is unavailable for 2 games.

On a different tangent everyone's having a pop at Henderson but I remember similar things said about Owen Hargreaves before a major tournament. I forget whether it was WC 06 or Euro's 08 but then he turned out to be a superstar at that tournament. Not saying the likes of Henderson, Kelly or Jagielka will do the same but when doors close others open and you just never know. Sometimes a certain system, setup or position suits a player that maybe they don't do at club level, it's a different game at International level to the Premiership and might just suit one of these lads better than their club side.

[Wax Jacket]

06

we weren't at 08