The England thread

[MDK]

I'd say our chances Israeli good, there's Norway they can stop us. Italy-leave us in a good position if we can Russia way thru the group.

[Summers]

Take a bow.

[Jimmy]

Never change.

[MDK]

I hope we don't inGermany of our players, itSpainful to twist your ankle on the bHolland hurt yourself.

[Adam]

I didn't get it at first, I thought MDK was just drunk.

[EddieG]

You mean he's not?

[Adam]

Well he might be, but he posted the latest one at half 9 this morning so I'd hope not.

[Summers]

After 9 in the morning? He'da been smashed.

[MDK]

I did have two nurofen plus this morning

[Lineker]

He's hardcore! He's hardcore!

[Lineker]

UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body ordered Serbia's Under-21s to play their next UEFA competition match behind closed door among sanctions relating to the Serbia-England U21 play-off.

The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has ordered the Serbian Under-21 national team to play their next UEFA competition home match behind closed doors, following a number of incidents that occurred during and after the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off second-leg match against England at the Mladost Stadium in Krusevac on 16 October. The Football Association of Serbia (FSS) has also been fined €80,000.

The sanction against the FSS has been imposed for the improper conduct of its supporters during and at the end of the match, as well as for the improper conduct of the Serbia players at the end of the game.

The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has also decided to:

• Suspend Serbia fitness coach Andreja Milunovic from all football-related activities for two years, the second of which is suspended for a probationary period of three years. FIFA will be requested to extend this decision so as to give it a worldwide effect.

• Suspend Serbia assistant coach Predrag Katic from all football-related activities for two years, the final six months of which are suspended for a probationary period of three years. FIFA will be requested to extend this decision so as to give it a worldwide effect.

• Suspend Serbia player Goran Caušic for four UEFA national team competition matches.

• Suspend Serbia player Ognjen Mudrinski for three UEFA national team competition matches.

• Suspend Serbia player Filip Malbašic for three UEFA national team competition matches.

• Suspend Serbia player Nikola Ninkovic for two UEFA national team competition matches.

The suspensions will apply to the next UEFA national team competition matches for which the players would be eligible.

The disciplinary proceedings opened against Serbia player Aleksandar Pantic are dismissed.

At the same hearing, the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body decided to dismiss the disciplinary proceedings opened against The Football Association. The FA has received a warning for improper conduct by its team (more than five cautions).

The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has also decided to:

• Suspend England player Steven Caulker for two UEFA national team competition matches. This suspension applies to the following games: England v Italy on 5 June 2013 and England v Norway on 8 June 2013.

• Suspend England player Thomas Ince for one UEFA national team competition match. This suspension applies to the following game: England v Italy on 5 June 2013.

An appeal may be lodged against these decisions within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision.

[Lineker]

The government considered pulling the home nations out of the football World Cup in 1982 during the Falklands War with Argentina, official papers show.

In government papers newly released by the National Archives, it was suggested some players felt "revulsion" about competing along with Argentina.

But Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was warned withdrawal would be a propaganda "opportunity" for Argentina.

England, Scotland and Northern Ireland did go to Spain for the tournament.

Days after the Argentine invasion of the Falklands on 2 April 1982, a directive from sports minister Neil Macfarlane advised: "I urge no sporting contact with Argentina at representative, club or individual level on British soil. This policy applies equally to all sporting fixtures in Argentina."

In a letter to Mrs Thatcher the following month, Mr Macfarlane reported growing doubts about the UK teams' attendance at the World Cup, starting in June.

Up until a week or 10 days ago I have taken the line that it was up to the Football Authorities to decide whether they should participate," he wrote.

"However, the loss of British life on HMS Sheffield and Sea Harriers has had a marked effect on some international footballers and some administrators. They feel revulsion at the prospect of playing in the same tournament as Argentina at this time."

He added that Fifa, international football's governing body, had made it clear that Argentina would not be pressured to withdraw from the tournament.

"In this case no other country would follow us in withdrawing from the World Cup," Cabinet Secretary Robert Armstrong wrote to Mrs Thatcher days later.

"Argentina would see British withdrawal not as putting any pressure on them but as an opportunity to make propaganda: the United Kingdom, not Argentina, would be the country set apart."

Despite the discussions between the politicians, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland did all go on to compete in the tournament, although none of them met Argentina on the pitch.

Scotland were eliminated in the first group stage, while England and Northern Ireland were both knocked out at the second group stage.

Argentina exited the tournament after finishing bottom of a second round group won by eventual winners Italy.

In August that year, after the end of the conflict, restrictions were lifted on sporting engagements with Argentina.

[Lineker]

The Football Association has lodged an appeal to Uefa over the bans given to England Under-21 internationals Tom Ince and Steven Caulker.

Midfielder Ince, 20, and defender Caulker, 21, were suspended for one and two matches respectively for incidents that took place after the win in Serbia in October.

Their case is set to be heard in February.

It is thought England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce will attend the hearing.

England's players were racially abused during the 1-0 win in Krusevac , a result that secured their place at the 2013 European Championship.

Players and staff from both sides clashed at the final whistle, with England's Danny Rose shown a red card.

When the punishments were handed down to Caulker and Ince in December, FA general secretary Alex Horne indicated that an appeal would be made.

"It is the FA's vehement belief that its players and staff acted correctly in the face of provocation, including racist abuse and missiles being thrown," he said.

"We are therefore surprised to see that two of our players have been given suspensions."

If the appeal fails, Blackpool's Ince would miss the Euro 2013 game against Italy, with Tottenham's Caulker also sitting out the clash with Norway.

Serbia players Ognjen Mudrinski, Nikola Ninkovic, Goran Causic and Filip Malbasic were given bans ranging from two to four matches, while coaches Predrag Katic and Andreja Milunovic had already received lengthy suspensions from the Serbian FA.

Serbia have also been fined £65,000 and ordered to play their next under-21 match behind closed doors.

However, with those sanctions widely seen as being too lenient, Uefa has already begun an appeal against the punishment handed down by its own disciplinary body.

[Lineker]

The 20-man Brazil squad for the friendly against England on 6 February at Wembley: Julio Cesar (QPR), Diego Alves (Valencia); Daniel Alves,Adriano (both Barcelona), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich),Leandro Castan (Roma), Miranda, Filipe Luis (both Atletico Madrid);Ramires (Chelsea), Arouca (Santos), Paulinho (Corinthians), Hernanes(Lazio), Oscar (Chelsea), Ronaldinho (Atletico Mineiro), Lucas Moura (Paris St Germain); Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Fred(Fluminense), Luis Fabiano (Sao Paulo).

[Lineker]

Chelsea's Ashley Cole is set to win his 100th international cap after being named in England manager Roy Hodgson's squad to face Brazil on 6 February.

Left-back Cole, who made his England debut against Albania on 28 March 2001, has been named in a 24-man squad.

Fellow Chelsea team mate Frank Lampard has been picked, as has Jack Wilshere, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Leon Osman and skipper Steven Gerrard.

The most notable exclusion was Tottenham's Scott Parker.

Parker is now fit again after returning from Euro 2012 with an Achilles injury, but Hodgson has deemed he is not yet ready to return to the International set up.

As expected youngsters Raheem Sterling, Jonjo Shelvey and Wilfried Zaha are all excluded and instead named in the Under-21 squad to face Sweden on 5 February, while Hodgson has taken the unusual step of naming only two goalkeepers - Joe Hart and sought-after Birmingham youngster Jack Butland.

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is called up for the first time during Hodgson's tenure after recovering from injury, but his team mate Phil Jones is omitted from the senior squad and named in Stuart Pearce's Under-21 set up.

Jermain Defoe has also been included despite his current pelvic problem, joining Manchester United duo Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, plus Liverpool new-boy Daniel Sturridge, in attack.

Cole would become only the seventh player to have reached 100 caps for England, joining Gerrard, Billy Wright, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, David Beckham and Peter Shilton.

England squad to face Brazil: Jack Butland, Joe Hart, Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, Chris Smalling, Kyle Walker, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Leon Osman, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Daniel Welbeck.

England Under-21 squad to face Sweden: Ben Amos (Manchester United), Declan Rudd (Norwich City), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), Ryan Bennett (Norwich City), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Craig Dawson (Bolton Wanderers - loan from West Brom), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Tom Lees (Leeds United), Jack Robinson (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Adam Smith (Millwall - loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool), Nat Chalobah (Watford - loan from Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Will Hughes (Derby County), Henri Lansbury (Nottingham Forest), Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers), Josh McEachran (Middlesbrough - loan from Chelsea), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Benik Afobe (Bolton Wanderers - loan from Arsenal), Tom Ince (Blackpool), Connor Wickham (Sunderland), Wilfred Zaha (Crystal Palace - loan from Manchester United).

[Lineker]

U21's are one-up against Sweden - Thomas Ince with the goal.

[Lineker]

Final score 4-0 to England. A brace from Ince, plus goals from Shelvey and Wickham.

England Under-21s Team
1 Jason Steele (13 Declan Rudd, 46), 2 Adam Smith (12 Tom Lees 75), 3 Jack Robinson, 4 Josh McEachran (14 Nat Chalobah, 67), 5 Andre Wisdom, 6 Craig Dawson, 7 Tom Ince, 8 Jordon Henderson © (15 Will Hughes, 46), 9 Wilfried Zaha (17 Jason Lowe, 58), 10 Jonjo Shelvey (16 Henri Lansbury, 46), 11 Benik Afobe (18 Connor Wickham, 46)
Sub not used: 19 Ben Amos

[Thrilla]

Julio Cesar just made a cracking save from a Rooney header. Neymar is looking lively, no clear chances yet though.

[Rafael]

Penalty!

I CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE IT.

Edited February 6, 2013 by RafaelFms

[Cymbols]

lol