Euro 2012

[Gazz]

GKs

Hart, Carson, Stockdale

Defenders

Johnson, Richards, Terry, Jagielka, Lescott, Cahill, Cole, Baines

Midfielders

Lennon, Downing, Young, Carrick, Gerrard, Parker, Barry, Lampard

Strikers

Rooney, Crouch, Sturridge, Walcott

[MDK]

I'd have a similar team, but I'd replace Downing with Milner.

[Gazz]

Downing's purely there to stick balls onto Crouch's bonce, Milner's more of a central midfielder these days and Parker and Barry would get the nod over him imo.

[MDK]

I think I'd still prefer Milner playing out of place than Downing playing. Hell, how is Joe Cole doing at Lille?

[IAceI]

Done alright at first, gone off the boil a bit lately I think.

[Lineker]

Classic Joe Cole then.

[Adam]

Today marks 100 days until Euro 2012 kicks off. At this juncture, who would be in your 23 man squad for England/Ireland/your country here?

At this stage...it's quite tricky. I think I would leave Ferdinand out of the squad for good now anyway, and is Bent definitly out? If he's out for three months he could still make it, if he's out then we really are in a bit of a sticky spot up front for the France and Sweden games. Terry's injury has somewhat scuppered my 'team Terry and Cahill up for the rest of the season' plan in the hope of building a rapport between them. Well I guess AVB's team selection wasn't helping either. And I wouldn't take Oxlade-Chamberlain either, it's too soon for him, let's ease him into th international set-up over the next two years in the World Cup qualifiers and see how he goes. Right now I'd go with:

GK: Hart, Stockdale, Green.

DEF: Johnson, Richards, Terry, Cahill, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, A.Cole

MID: Parker, Gerrard, Lampard, Milner, Carrick, A.Young, A.Johnson, Walcott

FWD: Rooney, Crouch, Sturridge, Graham.

Though I hold out hop for Bent to return for that last spot. It's a shame Wilshere is injured as well. That last striker spot is a really difficult one to choose and I thought Graham might bring something different to Crouch. The team I'd go for if we were playing France tomorrow:

Hart

Richards - Cahill - Terry - A.Cole

Parker - Gerrard

A.Young - Milner - Sturridge

Crouch

Though I'd be really tempted to try out Jagielka, Lescott and Baines across the back line with Richards. Whoever takes the job has got a right headache!

[Hobo]

Downing's purely there to stick balls onto Crouch's bonce, Milner's more of a central midfielder these days and Parker and Barry would get the nod over him imo.

It's a good thing Downing remembered how to cross on Sunday although the only head that he was hitting was an opposing defenders.

[Starvinho]

Today marks 100 days until Euro 2012 kicks off. At this juncture, who would be in your 23 man squad for England/Ireland/your country here?

My 23 at this point would be;

Hart, Carson, Ruddy

Richards, Jones, Cole, Baines, Terry, Cahill, Lescott, Jagielka

Carrick, Parker, Gerrard, Wilshere (Hoping he'll be fit), Milner, Walcott, Young, Johnson

Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Carroll (Would have been Bent)

Stand-by players would be Smalling, Walker, Barry, Downing, Cleverley, Lampard, Defoe

I'd start the first game with Hart, Richards, Terry, Cahill, Cole, Carrick, Parker, Gerrard, Young, Sturridge, Walcott (4-3-3 Sturridge through the middle)

Once Rooney is back I'd go Hart, Richards, Terry, Cahill, Cole, Young, Carrick, Parker, Milner, Rooney, Welbeck in more of a 4-4-2 that can convert to a 4-3-3 easily if needed.

[TCO]

Goalkeepers

Given, Westwood, Henderson

Defenders

Dunne, O'Shea, St. Ledger, Ward, Kelly, O'Dea, Clark

Midfielders

McGeady, Duff, McCarthy, McClean, Whelan, Gibson, Andrews, Coleman

Strikers

Keane, Doyle, Long, Walters, Best

Yeah, I really don't rate Simon Cox, so Besty gets a spot! I'd go the flat 4-4-2 and the team really picks itself, theough I'd go with Long because he has more than Doyle at this stage.

Given

O'Shea - Dunne - St. Ledger - Ward

Duff - Andrews - Whelan - McGeady

Keane - Long

[Lineker]

Republic of Ireland players have agreed a reduced Euro 2012 qualification bonus deal because of the current economic climate, the FAI has confirmed.

It is believed skipper Robbie Keane and his team-mates settled for less than was paid when the Republic reached the 2002 World Cup finals.

Reports suggest the package could amount to two million euros, depending on how they fare in Poland and Ukraine.

The Republic's group contains Spain, Italy and Croatia.

An FAI statement revealed the deal with the players had been struck on Monday, two days before the friendly against the Czech Republic in Dublin.

"During the discussions, the players emphasised the immense honour and pride which they feel in representing the country through this and previous campaigns," it said.

"In recognition of the wider economic climate, the players were happy to agree to a reduction in qualification payments made in 2002."

Keane was asked about the issue at Tuesday's pre-match press conference.

He said: "There is no problem at all. There will be a statement coming out in the next couple of days and everything, I am sure, will be clear.

"It was a short meeting, that's all I will say, and very positive."

[Lineker]

Arsenal's England midfielder Jack Wilshere has been ruled out for the rest of the season and Arsene Wenger says he will not be fit for Euro 2012.

The 20-year-old suffered a stress fracture to his right ankle in pre-season but hoped to be fit to go to Poland and Ukraine this summer.

Gunners boss Wenger said: "He will not be ready for the end of the season and not for the Euros.

"He is devastated, and you can understand that."

Wenger, speaking after his side's shock home defeat by Wigan on Monday night, added: "He is not ready to practice today or next week. He makes progress, but slow progress."

Wilshere has not played for Arsenal since suffering the injury in a friendly against New York Red Bulls on 31 July.

That followed a breakthrough season in which he made 49 appearances for the Gunners and five for England.

More follows.

[METALMAN]

more follows?

I can't wait! What could it possibly be?!

[Matt]

To be honest, I'm glad. Undoubtedly he's a great talent but I don't think taking a player who's been out all season to the Euros is a good decision.

[Starvinho]

A fit Wilshere who had a full season under his belt would've been a starter for England, a Wilshere who has been out all season I'm not so sure. It's best he stays at home, I'm sure he'll play in a few major tournaments before his days are over anyways. More room for Carrick in the squad now.

[Colly]

I was hoping we'd see a big chunk of Wilshere and even Cleverly rather than the usual suspects, but I suppose I can wait til the next World Cup.

[IAceI]

It's a shame about Wilshere but as stated he had been out all season so even if he had played then it would have been a bit of a risk anyways. I've often said my England team would set up similar to Arsenal in formation and I'd have Parker play the Song role, Carrick the Arteta role and then probably Gerrard in the more advanced Ramsey/Rosicky role - or whichever was attacking.

Then again my England team has Walcott, Sturridge and Oxlade-Chamberlain/Young/insert fast player all playing up front in the Walcott/Van Persie/Benayoun role and pretty much all centres around attacking with pace - so what the heck do I know?

Wouldn't be averse to playing the likes of Cleverley, the chances of success in this tournament are already pretty slim so it would be a good chance for us to start seeing some change - especially in preparation for the World Cup in two years - that said with Capello gone and one of the 'matey' managers like Redknapp or Pearce set to run the show I suspect we'll probably see the like of Gerrard & Lampard, and Ferdinand & Terry etc. - we can only wait and see I guess.

[Jimmy]

I'd rather see Rodwell than Cleverly just on the basis that Cleverly has been injured for long parts of the season and hasn't really done anything worthwhile since coming back. I'm all for introducing youngstars to this squad this tournament, but let's take the one's who have been playing regularly this season (Walker, Rodwell, Welbeck etc). I honestly don't believe Cleverly deserves a spot going on this season - which, really, is his only season to be judged. I hate to say it, but I'd rather see us take Grant Holt, simply because he's in form and has proved he can knick a goal. I'm always for form over reputation when it comes to England, in most cases anyway.

[Lineker]

Rodwell is also injured and has been ruled out of the Euros by Moyes.

Europe's leading players are at risk of being racially abused at this summer's European Championship, the head of the worldwide union for footballers says.

Theo van Seggelen, secretary-general of FIFPro, also fears visiting fans will face problems with Polish and Ukrainian supporters away from stadiums.

He said some fixtures will be played "in the middle of nowhere" and that Ukraine was not a suitable host nation.

"Ukraine will be very difficult for fans," Van Seggelen told BBC Sport.

"I think that this tournament will not be remembered for the atmosphere - that for me is 100% sure. Ukraine is not the ideal place to play this kind of event."

FIFPro's own research into racism, violence and match-fixing in eastern Europe, published in February this year, revealed that just over 10% of professional players surveyed had been victims of violence, with over half of all those incidents blamed on supporters.

And, with 9.6% of players in the region claiming in the report they have been racially abused, Van Seggelen fears that teams playing at Euro 2012 may be subjected to similar abuse from Ukrainian and Polish supporters.

"We have to hope [the eastern European fans responsible for racism and violence] are not the same people who are watching the games in Poland and Ukraine [at Euro 2012] because then we have a real problem.

"I'm sure that the fans from the European countries who have qualified... will not be any problem. Four years ago in Switzerland and Austria it was fantastic.

"If the majority of fans are coming from these two countries [Poland and Ukraine], then I'm not 100% convinced that we will not have accidents, even in the stadiums."

"I think that Uefa is capable, with the support of the government, of preventing these kind of events. But I have more fear for what happens outside the stadium, especially for the fans, especially in Ukraine."

Both countries have invested heavily in infrastructure projects and new stadiums - Poland alone is understood to have spent around 20bn euros (around £18bn).

But criticism over preparations for the tournament still remain. Last week Uefa president Michel Platini hit out at hoteliers in Ukraine, describing many of them as "bandits and crooks" for setting exorbitant prices for accommodation.

The Ukrainian government has promised to address the issue within 30 days as it makes final preparations for the biggest sporting event to be held in the country since it gained independence following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

But for Van Seggelen other issues persist.

"There are some problems, especially in Ukraine, with the transportation," he said. "There are also problems with the language. These people do not speak other languages."

The draw for the tournament has also ensured that some of the giants of European football will meet during the group stage of the tournament.

But Van Seggelen is dismayed at some of the locations for the eight host cities - including the choice of Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, for the Group B match between Netherlands and Germany.

The old rivals are due to meet at the 38,500-capacity Metalist stadium on 13 June.

"At FIFPro we have some doubts about the choices of the locations in Poland and Ukraine," he added. "Holland against Germany is played in the smallest stadium in Ukraine, somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

"Football is about fans, and I don't want to be too critical, but how is it possible that these kinds of games, which are highlights of the tournament, are played in these stadiums in the middle of nowhere?"

[Starvinho]

Unless Cleverley has a fantastic last few games of the season, he shouldn't even be considered in my opinion. He needs to concentrate on staying fit and having a good pre-season again. He might be a decent shout for the Olympic team though. As for Rodwell, I didn't think he'd be in the squad anyways. I'm a big fan but I think this is a tournament too soon for him.