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England WC qualifiers 6/10 June 2009

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    England WC qualifiers 6/10 June 2009

    BBC Sport, 22 May 2009

    Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has become the latest player to be ruled out of England's two World Cup qualifiers in June through injury.

    Wright-Phillips, 27, has missed the last six weeks with a knee problem and suffered a reaction when he returned to training this week.

    England coach Fabio Capello is already without Portsmouth keeper David James and Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing.

    They face Kazakhstan on Saturday 6 June and play Andorra at home on 10 June.

    Capello will name his squad for the two matches at about 2000 BST on Sunday, after the final round of Premier League matches.

    Wright-Phillips was hoping to make his Man City return against Bolton at Eastlands on Sunday, but those plans have been put on hold.

    "Now Shaun will have to see a specialist," said City manager Mark Hughes.

    "He is not going to be available at the weekend and he may well have a wash out of his knee in the close-season that would enable him to be fit for the start of pre-season training.

    "He has worked really hard trying to get fit but this problem needs to be addressed and we must look at it."

    Downing, meanwhile, will miss the England games after undergoing surgery on his right foot on Friday.

    The 24-year-old had a pin inserted to mend a bone broken in a tackle by Stiliyan Petrov during Saturday's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, and is not expected to return before the start of pre-season training in July.

    "Stewart is going to be out for two or three months at least," said Boro's assistant manager Malcolm Crosby.

    England number one James had a shoulder operation on Wednesday that will prevent him from adding to his 48 caps.

    James has started every game under Capello, and with Ben Foster and Chris Kirkland also injured, West Ham's Robert Green appears to be the favourite to fill in for the Pompey stopper.

    "One thing I've learned about the manager is that he does not take any notice of anyone else, he is his own man," said Green.

    "But I will be turning up - assuming I am picked - and will prepare to play, as I do every time."

    Manchester City's 22-year-old defender Nedum Onuoha is being tipped for his first call-up to the senior squad, after a host of appearances for the Under-21s.

    #2
    If England can't beat Kazhakstan and Andorra without SWP, James or Downing you have serious issues.

    Comment


      #3
      England squad

      Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent

      [Times]

      Gary Neville was given a shock recall to the England squad last night for the World Cup qualifying matches against Kazakhstan and Andorra on June 6 and 10 respectively.

      The Manchester United defender has not played for his country since a 1-0 defeat by Spain in a friendly at Old Trafford more than two years ago, but will be hopeful of adding to his 85 caps after being picked by Fabio Capello for the first time.

      Neville made his international debut in a friendly against Japan 14 years ago, but must have thought his England career was over after failing to feature in the first 18 months of Capello’s reign as manager. His selection is all the more surprising given that he has spent the bulk of the past two years struggling with a series of ankle and calf injuries.

      The United captain made his thirteenth Barclays Premier League start of the season yesterday, at centre back in United’s 1-0 win away to Hull City, but has been overlooked in favour of John O’Shea for Wednesday’s Champions League final against Barcelona and may not be among the substitutes in Rome, with Wes Brown and Rafael Da Silva competing for the same spot.

      The 34-year-old is the eighth most capped player in England’s history and needs one more to equal Kenny Sansom’s record for a full back.

      Neville’s recall will rekindle the unlikely prospect of him appearing in a third World Cup finals in South Africa next summer – he missed the 2002 tournament with a broken foot. His cause is helped by the fact that right back remains a problem position for Capello. Brown and Glen Johnson have impressed at various times without establishing themselves, while Capello has little time for Micah Ricards.

      Capello’s squad is otherwise as expected, with Paul Robinson recalled to provide goalkeeping cover as a result of David James’s shoulder operation.

      Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole return after missing last month’s victory over Ukraine through injury, Jermain Defoe is also back after a three-match absence and Theo Walcott returns to the squad for the first time since November. Shaun Wright-Phillips is included after coming through Manchester City’s win over Bolton Wanderers yesterday with no reaction to his knee problem, while Ashley Young is recalled.

      The squad

      (v Kazakhstan and Andorra): S Carson (West Brom); R Green (West Ham); P Robinson (Blackburn); W Bridge (Man City), A Cole (Chelsea), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), G Johnson (Portsmouth), J Lescott (Everton), G Neville (Man Utd), J Terry (Chelsea), M Upson (West Ham); G Barry (Aston Villa), D Beckham (LA Galaxy), M Carrick (Man Utd), S Gerrard (Liverpool), F Lampard (Chelsea), T Walcott (Arsenal), S Wright-Phillips (Man City), A Young (Aston Villa); C Cole (West Ham), P Crouch (Portsmouth), J Defoe (Tottenham), E Heskey (Aston Villa), W Rooney (Man Utd).

      Comment


        #4
        The selection of Neville is baffling. The United fans I know seem to feel he has been poor even in the games he has managed to play. I guess the options at right back are pretty limited though. I would have been tempted to give a young player a chance though given the opposition.
        "The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind."
        -- William Blake

        Comment


          #5
          I saw the squad last night and must admit its one of the worst england squads ive ever seen. They have zero chance of winning the world cup with that team/squad.
          RAFA

          Comment


            #6
            Neville's selection is proof the England squad is picked on reputation rather than form or ability
            The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can't ignore it, top it; if you can't top it, laugh at it; if you can't laugh at it, it's probably deserved.

            Comment


              #7
              They only have to beat Andorra and Kazakhstan with that squad. Shouldnt be too much of a task.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Darth Marty View Post
                I saw the squad last night and must admit its one of the worst england squads ive ever seen. They have zero chance of winning the world cup with that team/squad.
                I can recall worse squads but looking through that it's fairly uninspiring. I couldn't care less abou England anyway to be honest
                The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can't ignore it, top it; if you can't top it, laugh at it; if you can't laugh at it, it's probably deserved.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Craig_H View Post
                  They only have to beat Andorra and Kazakhstan with that squad. Shouldnt be too much of a task.
                  You're forgetting "There's no easy games at this level"
                  The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can't ignore it, top it; if you can't top it, laugh at it; if you can't laugh at it, it's probably deserved.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Looks a pretty decent squad to me. There have been deficiencies in goal and up front for a while but other than that I think it compares pretty well with nearly every other international squad I've seen. Obviously there is a problem in terms of right back cover but Glen Johnson is an option we are considering for good reason (even if I have some reservations) and I can't think of many right backs around who I would be more enthusiastic about us signing.
                    "The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind."
                    -- William Blake

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Exiled_red View Post
                      You're forgetting "There's no easy games at this level"
                      I'm not saying they're easy games. I'm just saying that 11 randomly picked EST forumites could beat Andorra

                      Comment


                        #12


                        Gareth Barry looks as chipper as you might expect for someone who has just earned himself a £130,000-a-week contract. But the nine-hour flight to Kazakhstan seemed to have taken its toll on Steven Gerrard and the rest of the England squad by the time they arrived at their hotel yesterday. (Mail Online)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          hahaha, he looks like he's been sinking rum and cokes all flight
                          "When a man insults my country I insult him, by taking his woman" Tony Yeboah

                          "looking through your posts since 2007 and what you have consistently written about my football team I have come to the conclusion that if you had 1 more brain cell you would be a plant .. your father was a hamster and your mother smells of elder berries, I fart in your general direction ..." Nicey

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Craig_H View Post
                            I'm not saying they're easy games. I'm just saying that 11 randomly picked EST forumites could beat Andorra
                            I have a glass knee so I can take Owen Hargreaves place on the squad

                            Comment


                              #15
                              130 per week? it isn't 100? ^^

                              Comment

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