the F.A. way.
So today the 7 who Fabio thinks aren’t up to being in his final 23 man squad for the World Cup get the phone call telling them of their surplus to requirement status.
Apparently this is a far better way of doing it rather than the way Svennis or Glenn did it. To string it out over the day while journos Twitter about who they know is and isn’t included. And then have a formal press conference a couple hours after everyone knows because Fabio can’t reach the “unlucky” ones to tell them first.
A quite fitting shambles for all involved.
So anyway I’ll start writing this before before the official announcement and the seven who aren’t in the final 23 are supposedly:
Leighton Baines, Tom Huddlestone, Scott Parker and Michael Dawson, Adam Johnson, Darren Bent and Theo Walcott.
A combination of the expected, unexpected and the thank god.
Of the two Spurs players Dawson is the unlucky one. He has by far had the best season of any English qualified defender, really pulled it back from a dodgy spell that saw many wanting him to be sold by the club – of course not by anyone here. If you are picking two players for each position, then with Ferdinand and Ledley as the two playing central defenders then ideally Dawson should be Terry’s understudy as the stopper. But once Capello coaxed that crybaby, whinger Carragher out of his self-imposed exile the Spurs man’s days were numbered. Though why he should be left out and Upson goes is beyond anyone’s belief. It was as expected.
As is the exclusion of Huddlestone, given a slight chance to press his claims – as it kind of looks now as if those on the fringe that played in the last two games were the least likely to be picked – he didn’t grasp it. Tough he was better than Carrick, who does go. Parker, well why was he in the squad anyway, well there just wasn’t anyone else about at the time, no loss.
Baines looked like a lock, with Warnock not getting a game. Now I’ve championed the Everton left-back on here, he had a good season for his club and as an attacking fullback has the best left foot of the three left-backs in the initial 30 man squad. After all he is the one that takes left footed corners and free-kicks for his club, you wouldn’t give Ashley Cole those duties now would you.
But Baines blew it with Fabio and here with that performance against Mexico and more importantly the reason he gave after the match for said performance. Apparently it was bad because he was nervous about making the final squad and being homesick at the World Cup. OK then, you can piss off now. Homesick? A maximum, though it’s never gonna be is it really, of 4 weeks away, playing football with your mates at the biggest tournament you’ll ever be involved. Waited on hand and foot in luxury and you’ll be sick because you miss Scouseland. Just piss off you crybaby, fanny pad. I have to admit I’ve just never understood this homesickness malarkey, especially as it’s only going to be a few weeks, does he never go on holiday?
Darren Bent, hell he would have only gone and missed the flight if had been picked. A useless player who gives nothing to the side, at least Heskey works well with others. Bent just misses open goals, that’s all he does.
Adam Johnson, wrong choice Fabio. Why leave out the only naturally left footed attacking player in the squad? Yes he doesn’t have the pace but as we’ll show later pace means bugger all if you haven’t got the ability. Johnson has an ability. He should have been England’s dark horse for this tournament.
Theo Walcott, Walnutt, Donutt. This was the correct choice. Given two games to prove himself. He failed, failed miserably. Has pace, has no footballing brain and little ability to properly utilise that pace. We all wondered why Walnutt was given such lengthy spells in the last two games and it’s obvious now that Fabio was clutching at straws, he wanted the slightest reason to take the player to South Africa. None was forthcoming.
His people are shocked, he was looking forward to going. Says it all really, has done bugger all this season, very little in an England shirt and he and his people still thought he was going. Maybe if he didn’t surround himself with people that are “shocked” that someone who struggles isn’t on the plane to the World Cup he might advance as a player. All he has to do is look at the man who should play on the right wing, Lennon. He lifted his game, has more than pace and has a manager that believes in him.
Can anyone really see the 23 left getting past the quarter-final at best?