Just thought i'd post this article which is on the beeb site by Phil Mcnulty, it's a very good read and is spot on regarding Carra's decision the Mclown's decission:
Jamie Carragher's public profile is low-key to the point of invisibility - light years away from the cult of celebrity that has submerged England's under-achieving national team.
So it is ironic that Liverpool defender's decision to consider his England future has brought so much attention to a player who is happy to stay well beneath the radar of publicity.
And Carragher added fuel to the fire by ringing a radio station in fury at being branded a bottler by a presenter - even appearing to suggest a good old-fashioned Scouse straightener next time they meet.
Carragher should have brushed off such ignorant and ill-informed insults.
A "bottler" does not play as he has for Liverpool and England in recent seasons - or volunteer to take a penalty in a World Cup quarter-final shoot-out when other colleagues stood back.
And a bottler certainly does not have every major club honour bar the title in his trophy cabinet.
The serious question is whether Carragher is right to end his England career to concentrate on helping Liverpool finally mount a serious Premier League title challenge.
And I believe he is.
England coach Steve McClaren's treatment of one of Europe's finest defenders has arguably been more insulting than having Carragher's courage questioned by someone specifically paid to provoke such a debate.
McClaren might just swing the idea of picking Ledley King ahead of him in the absence of the injured Rio Ferdinand in Estonia, although I would still have picked Carragher.
But the selection of Wes Brown - not even outstanding in his favoured position of centre-back - instead of Carragher as right-back was surely the final straw.
McClaren will disagree but this was a desperately poor and inexplicable decision.
And it rightly crystalised doubts Carragher already had in his mind about his role with England.
Why should he, at 29 and with limited time remaining at the top left, turn up for England and be treated in such a fashion?
And sorry, I don't buy all the hysterical 'three lions' jingoism that states that the call of your country comes above all else.
It certainly doesn't in the north of England.
Ask Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City fans whether country comes before club and I'd wager a large amount on the majority answering in the negative.
Sorry if this comes as a shock to some but most football fans put club before country every time.
At this stage of his career, Carragher does not need to prove his quality or worth to McClaren.
He has been doing that for years against the finest strikers in the world at home and abroad.
And he also has no need to turn up for a few five-a-sides or a McClaren coaching masterclass only to sit in the stands at the end of it all.
If McClaren wanted to send a message to Carragher that his England future was behind him, then picking Brown ahead of him in Estonia did the job.
Carragher had every right to be insulted and decide to focus on Liverpool.
England is not the be-all and end-all for Carragher. Liverpool is and that is why he has decided to channel all his efforts into winning more trophies with the Merseysiders.
This is not the decision of a bottler, it is an understandable move by a player who has made a realistic assessment of his England future.
Liverpool will be the beneficiaries, as will their fans, who would not mind another 10 "bottlers" like Carragher in their side.
Jamie Carragher's public profile is low-key to the point of invisibility - light years away from the cult of celebrity that has submerged England's under-achieving national team.
So it is ironic that Liverpool defender's decision to consider his England future has brought so much attention to a player who is happy to stay well beneath the radar of publicity.
And Carragher added fuel to the fire by ringing a radio station in fury at being branded a bottler by a presenter - even appearing to suggest a good old-fashioned Scouse straightener next time they meet.
Carragher should have brushed off such ignorant and ill-informed insults.
A "bottler" does not play as he has for Liverpool and England in recent seasons - or volunteer to take a penalty in a World Cup quarter-final shoot-out when other colleagues stood back.
And a bottler certainly does not have every major club honour bar the title in his trophy cabinet.
The serious question is whether Carragher is right to end his England career to concentrate on helping Liverpool finally mount a serious Premier League title challenge.
And I believe he is.
England coach Steve McClaren's treatment of one of Europe's finest defenders has arguably been more insulting than having Carragher's courage questioned by someone specifically paid to provoke such a debate.
McClaren might just swing the idea of picking Ledley King ahead of him in the absence of the injured Rio Ferdinand in Estonia, although I would still have picked Carragher.
But the selection of Wes Brown - not even outstanding in his favoured position of centre-back - instead of Carragher as right-back was surely the final straw.
McClaren will disagree but this was a desperately poor and inexplicable decision.
And it rightly crystalised doubts Carragher already had in his mind about his role with England.
Why should he, at 29 and with limited time remaining at the top left, turn up for England and be treated in such a fashion?
And sorry, I don't buy all the hysterical 'three lions' jingoism that states that the call of your country comes above all else.
It certainly doesn't in the north of England.
Ask Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City fans whether country comes before club and I'd wager a large amount on the majority answering in the negative.
Sorry if this comes as a shock to some but most football fans put club before country every time.
At this stage of his career, Carragher does not need to prove his quality or worth to McClaren.
He has been doing that for years against the finest strikers in the world at home and abroad.
And he also has no need to turn up for a few five-a-sides or a McClaren coaching masterclass only to sit in the stands at the end of it all.
If McClaren wanted to send a message to Carragher that his England future was behind him, then picking Brown ahead of him in Estonia did the job.
Carragher had every right to be insulted and decide to focus on Liverpool.
England is not the be-all and end-all for Carragher. Liverpool is and that is why he has decided to channel all his efforts into winning more trophies with the Merseysiders.
This is not the decision of a bottler, it is an understandable move by a player who has made a realistic assessment of his England future.
Liverpool will be the beneficiaries, as will their fans, who would not mind another 10 "bottlers" like Carragher in their side.
Comment