Blog 4 - World Cup Squad

Warning - Football Only so if you don't like football, I wouldn't bother...

It's 2.30 a.m. but I've had too much sun on my bald bonce and after an hour or so's kip, Bailey's fallen out of bed so I've had to wake up in a hurry to give her a cuddle and sort her out, and my body now won't let me go back to sleep. So being an industrious little bastard I've decided to do my blog whilst I'm up anyway.

With the World Cup almost upon us, Don Fabio has some interesting decisions to make regarding his World Cup Squad so I thought I'd chuck my two'penneth in.

I'm going to go through the various positions and say a) who I think he'll take, and b) who I hope he'll take. However before I get to that I have to explain my major bug bear with the squad.

Whenever we go into a tournamount I am always excited, always hopeful, always positive. "This could be the one", "we've got the players", "If the Brazilians stutter we might just win this..." etc etc. Wanting to win has never been an issue. I love my country, I love football, I want us to win and be the best, and I think my views on this are the same as 95% of the population at a World Cup. However, there is a black cloud surrounding my feelings this time around. The problem is that regardless of their ability, some of the players just don't deserve to win the ultimate honour in football. If they were playing for any other team, I would be desperate to see that team beaten. We unfortunately have ourselves a generation of footballers who have been spoiled and cosseted to the extent that they are simply horrible human beings. Within the 30 man preliminary squad, there are philanderers, thieves, and men guilty of common assault. And then add in players who have gone on record voluntarily either in interviews or for their own money-driven self-obsessed tell-all ghost-written autobiographies with the most shamefully revealing insights into their lack of moral fibre, their lack of respect for the game, and their obsession with self and money above all else. The fact is that I don't want these players to represent our country. I don't want to see these people celebrating if we win. I certainly don't want to see them knighted. If they miss a vital penalty and the team goes out, will they be humbled and burn with the desire for redemption a la Stuart Pearce? Or will they shrug, disappear back to their mansion and write a crap book about how hard life is on £150,000 a week when the media pick on you every time you get caught cheating on your wife or punching someone in a club?

So what are the choices? Dispense with those that don't deserve it but potentially weaken our chances of winning it? Or win with people who stand for everything that's wrong in the modern game and feel disappointed in what should be our proudest moment? It's a conundrum. On one side the thought of sacrificing a nations happiness in order to ensure that a few blokes who struggle to control their ego's and genitals whilst being under national media scrutiny 24/7 and only in their twenties, seems harsh. However, the results of winning could be even more damaging. The players would be lauded by every newspaper, t.v. channel, and media outlet in the country and the world. At a stroke past transgressions would be forgotten and only glory would be reflected. And the message that this would send out to a generation of children and the easily-influenced would be that this behaviour is ok. As long as you win, how you behave doesn't matter. Is the war worth winning if you have to enlist the support of troops who are the antithesis of everything your efforts stand for in the first place?

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, David James, Rob Green

These three will all go through regardless because the squad will contain three keepers and these are the only ones selected. I've no problem at all with Green or Hart as people or players, both have earned their spots on the plane. David James is a self-important poseur but I don't think that's a result of the money or status of the modern game, I think that's just his personality in general and would be the same whatever generation he played in. Whilst his behaviour is cringe-inducing at times, it's not offensive or detrimental to anyone except probably himself. And he's definitely good enough. As much as I love Greeno as an ex-City keeper of distinction, he's not consistent enough for the highest level. James has had many wobbles over the years but they have lessened over the years, and his presence and command are light years ahead of his two younger team-mates. I'd start with James. I think Capello will as well.

Defenders: Glen Johnson, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines, Stephen Warnock, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Ledley King, Matthew Upson Michael Dawson.

Probably the toughest one of the lot. Don Fabio says he's going with 2 players for every position, so the right back situation is clear. Glen Johnson and Jamie Carragher are in. Carragher's only issue is that he "retired" from international football because he was getting dragged around the world away from his family and very rarely doing anything except bench-warming. Some would hold that against him, but personally I find it refreshing and laudable. Others have had the opportunity to stake their claim during his self-imposed exile, but he's still worth a place above the likes of Wes Brown on talent, so I'm happy enough to see him in. Johnson is another kettle of fish however. A man who despite being worth millions decided to try shoplifting from B&Q with a mate cackling along, not because he needed to, but because he thought it was a laugh. Because he was above the moral implications that theft held, and knew that he could afford any subsequent fall-out if he was caught because he'd have the money and the lawyers to buy his way out of trouble. He is the best right back available, and the only natural right back in the 30, but is he worthy of an England shirt as a person? Fuck no. Capello will take him and start with him. I wouldn't have him in the squad in the first place.

At left back we have three options. We have to start with Ashley Cole. On talent alone he's possibly the best left back in the world. On attitude he's a total bloody disgrace. He cares for money and the rewards of fame far more than the game or the methods he achieves them by. I'm not going to list the litany of Cole's misdemeanours because it would take too long and it would do nothing but depress me in writing it, and you in reading it. The problem is that he's so much better than anything else we have. With Bridge opting out we're left with only Baines, who is at best, a competent Premiership player with no international pedigree whatsoever, and Stephen Warnock, who, to be quite frank, isn't very good, although neither have any overbearing character issues. Capello will take Cole and Baines and start with Cole. I can't accept that. I'd take Baines only and take an extra player from another position rather than lug along the lumbering Warnock.

At centre back John Terry is another example. Again I won't bang on about his issues, suffice to say that everyone knows he's a dick even regardless of his shagging exploits. Another awful example to young footballers of arrogance and greed. Plus he's played like Titus Bramble for the past six months. Taking away the personality thing, I'd probably take him on talent but not start with him at the moment. However, of course, I wouldn't take him at all with all things considered. Rio Ferdinand is another deluded knob who thinks a different set of rules apply to him. If it were me, he wouldn't go either. That leaves King, who is talented enough but has dodgy knees that may well not make it through a month long tournamount. He has some mild "out-on-the-lash" previous, but I'm not asking for saints, just people who respect the game, and I think he does. Upson is a bit clumsy and I'm unsure whether he's good enough for the highest level. Dawson is good, but has no experience. I'd take King, Upson and Dawson and leave the established centre backs behind to get an early start on their tell-all colouring books, starting with King and Dawson. Capello will take Ferdinand and Terry and start with them, with Upson and King as back-up.

Midfielders: Adam Johnson, Joe Cole, Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Scott Parker, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Tom Huddlestone, James Milner, Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Lots of players to deal with, lets start with the character issues and get them out of the way. Gerrard thumped some bloke in a nightclub but I think that was out of character and generally he's not too bad with the whole premadonna thing. Lampard is not of high morale fibre, cheating on the mother of his kids and making a big fuss when his Mum died that would have been a source of shame twenty years ago, so cringe-inducing was it. However, like Gerrard, there's enough respect for the game to not rule him out entirely. All the rest are fine. So the question is, who's good enough? For my money I'd take Joe Cole, Barry, Carrick, Parker, Lennon, Walcott, Gerrard and Milner and start with Cole, Barry, Parker and Walcott. Johnson's good but it's too early for him. Lampard, despite his goals, is a decent player in an exceptional club team, but isn't good enough at international level, and he always disappears against good teams. All his international goals have come against the Azerbaijan's and not the Italy's or Brazil's. I think we have better players. Huddlestone is inexperienced, tubby and not mobile enough. Wright-Phillips is only left out by virtue of the fact that there are three quality players in one position and I think Lennon and Walcott have greater capacity to change a game. Capello will probably take Cole, Barry, Carrick, Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Lennon, Walcott. I think he'll start with Gerrard, Barry, Lampard and Walcott.

Strikers: Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent, Emile Heskey, Peter Crouch.

Character issues? Darren Bent tried shooting people with a pellet gun a few years back, but he was young and seems to have matured, so despite his Ipswich past, we'll let him through on moral grounds. Rooney shagged granny hookers, but that again was when he was very young, and few can doubt that he loves the game, so he gets a pass too. Heskey and Crouch are fine. Defoe however is a twat. He's in the game more for the money and the women. Whilst he hasn't totally disgraced himself in a specific incident yet, you can file him alongside Rio Ferdinand in terms of "do we want him representing us as a country"? Would he give a toss if he missed a pen? Would he fuck. I'd take the other four and start with Rooney and Crouch. Capello will leave out Bent only and start with Rooney and Heskey.

My squad: 1. James 2. Carragher 3. Baines 4. Barry 5. Dawson 6. King 7. Walcott 8. Parker 9. Crouch 10. Rooney 11. J Cole 12. Green 13. Hart 14. Carrick 15. Upson 16. 17. Lennon 18. Gerrard 19. Heskey 20. Bent 21. Milner 22. 23.

Because of the character-based selection I'm three players short so to compensate I'd add three from positions we're already covered in aho are good blokes so in would come Adam Johnson, SWP and, because I don't really have any other option, Lampard.

Capello will pick: 1. James 2. G Johnson 3. A Cole 4. Barry 5. Ferdinand 6. Terry 7. Walcott 8. Lampard 9. Heskey 10. Rooney 11. Gerrard 12. Green 13. Hart 14. Carrick 15. Upson 16. King 17. Lennon 18. Milner 19. Crouch 20. Defoe 21. J Cole 22. Carragher 23. Baines

I fully acknowledge my side would be less likely to win, However I'd rather take those men than the ones who will go, and my conscience would be a lot clearer win, lose or draw.