The England thread

[IAceI]

I will remain eligible for English international duty however I would like to make it known I am exploring my family tree for any other nationalities I may have.

[Crybaby Bunting]

We're getting closer and closer to Steve Harper getting an England cap at this rate.

I always figured that Steve Harper just announced his retirement years ago to the FA but in private.

He's always performed well when called upon, often at very short notice. He doesn't mind being on the bench (spending pretty much 10 years warming the Newcastle one) but would much rather play. It would have made a hefty change from 'form' goalkeepers like Green and Carson that really needed a few games in order to feel safe in goal.

[DavidMarrio]

And the bullshit excuse of resting his body, I'm sorry but he's only 28 and if he can't play a 40 game season and make a few England call-ups he obviously hasn't been looking after himself.

Oh, so if a player has trouble playing 40 games they should just say "ah well, should've looked after myself better" and continue to play excessive amounts of games as opposed to trying to help the issue.

Kind of surprised at the reactions to this. There's a chance he thinks he's too good to sit on the bench for Joe Hart (even though he did it for so many seasons at Man Utd and a lot of the time didn't even make the bench) but he's had a few niggling injuries over the last few years so I don't blame him for wanting to take it steady for a while, and Birmingham's qualification for the Europa League probably had an impact on his decision too - he could be looking at 50 games next season, give the guy a break. Playing for England shouldn't be seen as a duty.

Yeh I don't see the big deal in him calling time on England for awhile. It's only Ben Foster haha, and to be fair he has picked up a few injuries these past few seasons so if he wants to focus on Birmingham why shouldn't he? It's happened before with past players it's not like he said he's permanently retired. It'll allow other keepers a chance as well to get into the England squad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13358827

Football bodies Fifa and Uefa have appealed against a European ruling that the World Cup and Euro Championships must be on free-to-air TV in the UK.

Bla bla bla etc

Poor FIFA and UEFA.

FIFA won't win haha, having done a bit of EU Law this year in uni (fun times...) they won't win the appeal cause it'll be the same arguments they've used before, it's considered to be a "major social importance" so that's why they are Free to Air

Edited May 13, 2011 by davidmarrio

[Crybaby Bunting]

Would that include the qualifiers? If so then Sky and ESPN have ended up with some worthless contracts.

[stokeriño]

Nah, only the finals.

[Twist]

So if England aren't playing in England it isn't considered to be of great social importance?

[stokeriño]

I don't think that's related. I would assume the fact that England home matches get shown on terrestrial and away matches on Sky is simply part of the arrangement involved in purchasing the rights to the qualifying/friendly matches.

As I said, the free-to-air for 'social importance' only applies to the World Cup and Euro Championship finals (that's 'finals' as in the post-qualifying tournament, not 'final' plural of only the last match in each).

[Starvinho]

England squad for Switzerland is announced today apparently. Word is Zamora is getting called up again.

[Lineker]

I read somewhere that he was an injury doubt, along with Zamora and Carroll. I'd like to see DJ Campbell get a call-up.

And we're playing Switzerland again? We're always playing them!

[Starvinho]

England squad in full

Scott Carson, Joe Hart, David Stockdale;

Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, John Terry, Kyle Walker;

Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young;

Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Bobby Zamora.

No Rooney because he's suspended for the game.

[The Future]

Is the game against Switzerland a qualifier? Bent and Young starting if it is I reckon.

[EddieG]

Pretty sure they're just friendlies now.

[9 to 5]

It's a qualifier.

[Lineker]

Scott Carson :lmao:

[Starvinho]

Scott Carson :lmao:

:lmao:

[Lineker]

It's funny because if Joe Hart were to get injured then we'd be fucked.

[Liam]

It's funny because if Joe Hart were to get injured then we'd be fucked.

Stockdale > Hart

[The Future]

Robert Green in the squad now, Stockdale has dropped out due to personal reasons.

[IAceI]

Stockdale gets married the day before but still wanted to join up with the squad apparently, but Capello went for Green instead. What a guy Stockdale is like ¬_¬

[Liam]

Ahh, bullshit.

Love me some Stockdale.

Oh well, Bobby Zamora for England!