Last throw of the dice for Eriksson
The biggest surprise in the squad was the inclusion of 17 year old wunderkind Theo Walcott, who is yet to make a Premiership appearance for Arsenal. Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing were other shock inclusions, with Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermain Defoe and Ledley King unexpectedly missing out. Walcott was signed by Arsenal from Southampton in January for £12 million, a record for a teenager.
He is yet to make a senior appearance for Arsenal, but Eriksson clearly feels his pace and trickery will compensate for his lack of experience. Walcott’s name was read out to gasps of amazement from the media section. His inclusion is seen as a massive gamble by Eriksson, especially given the doubts over the fitness of star strikers Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
Lennon, 19, is another young pretender, preferred by the England boss to Shaun Wright-Phillips, who has played little football for Chelsea this term. Although he has performed excitingly for Tottenham this season, many thought he was too inexperienced to make the world cup. Meanwhile, Jermain Defoe, another Tottenham ace who has been a regular in Eriksson’s previous squads, has been left out. This has come as a surprise to many, as he is seen as England’s natural third choice striker.
Eriksson has also left Defoe’s teammate Ledley King out, unwilling to gamble on the centreback’s fitness.
Andy Sissons
Before I let you read the drivel my colleague Mr. Akers has produced, let me point out that I have been the first person to complain about Sven. His reign has been characterised by gutless performances and an unwillingness to take risks, and yet many people believe he has been a good England manager.
Now, finally, he boldly takes a risk, names a youthful squad, and everyone slates him for it. I’m not saying Sven has picked the perfect squad, but he has at last shunned his cautionary instincts and taken a gamble. The squad looks exciting. Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, Stewart Downing, Peter Crouch. These are all players which offer England something different.
Previously, Sven has picked similar players, and so, when we’re losing to Brazil, we replace Owen with Darius Vassell, or Gerrard with Kieron Dyer, and we keep on losing. At least now Sven has some options. Sven has often been criticised for failing to make killer substitutions. But maybe that’s because he hasn’t had killer players on the bench. The likes of Crouch and Walcott are capable of offering England a different option. Walcott may not be the proven winner, but he is exciting.
He is exactly the sort of player who could set this World Cup on fire, and without Rooney, we need a player like that. Keep on gambling, Sven!
Alastair Akers
Drivel? I think not. Sadly it appears Sven wasn’t thinking when he chose this squad selection, or perhaps his mind was on other things, like that lovely new secretary called Ulrika… The first name that leaps out of the squad list is Sol Campbell.
This character is apparently less of a ‘risk’ than the ever-dependable but slightly injured Ledley King. What’s better • a defender hobbling around on the pitch or a defender crying in the dressing room? There are 29 reasons that Sven is a bad manager. One for each of the 29 caps he has given Owen Hargreaves. He is useless, yet Sven seems enamoured with him. Perhaps he reminds him of Faria Alam.
Personally, I agree with Sven’s decision to pick exciting young players to sit on the bench such as Downing and Lennon. They are an unpredictable force and may change a game coming on in the second half. But it has to be said that Sven’s selection adventure has gone too far. Theo Walcott? This is the boy who was told he was in the squad as he emerged from his driving theory test.
He can’t drive, he can’t drink, he can’t even get on the bench for Arsenal and yet apparently he’s a better bet than the top English scorer in the Premiership, Darren Bent. The point is that this is more than a bet by Eriksson. He hasn’t popped down the bookies to put a fiver on Chelsea to defend the title next season; he’s nipped down the casino after selling his house and put the proceeds on red.
If Rooney and Owen aren’t fit, and black comes up, he’s going to lose a lot more than his house with this selection of strikers • he’s going to lose England the World Cup.
THE ENGLAND SQUAD IN FULL
Goalkeepers:
Paul Robinson (Spurs)
David James (Man CIty)
Robert Green (Norwich)
Defenders:
Gary Neville (Man Utd)
Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd)
John Terry (Chelsea)
Sol Campbell (Arsenal)
Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
Ashley Cole (Arsenal)
Wayne Bridge (Chelsea)
Midfielders:
David Beckham (Real Madrid)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Joe Cole (Chelsea)
Michael Carrick (Spurs)
Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich)
Jermaine Jenas (Spurs)
Aaron Lennon (Spurs)
Stuart Downing (Middlesborough)
Forwards:
Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)
Michael Owen (Newcastle)
Peter Crouch (Liverpool)
Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
11th May 2006