How can I consider England at a time like this?
Well I can’t really, but Martin has. This time he’s writing about Fabio Capello’s first squad. Sadly for Martin I have posted this link a while after the piece was written, which was before the squad was announced, but it is, as with all Mart’s stuff, very much worth a read.
Incidentally, Capello’s decision to leave out underwear model and unfortunate husband to Posh Spice David Beckham is surely the right one. This is a results business and Capello has decided that Beckham’s lack of football (he hasn’t played since November) precludes him from consideration. Quite right too. While it would be easy to pick the man and give him five minutes at the end of the match, this again signals that David Beckham’s personal glory is more important than whatever schemes Capello needs to hatch in order that England returns to something like a quarter final team.
We’ve got seriously distracted over the years, blinded first by our own arrogance, and latterly by the incompetence of Steve McLaren, who was poor but far from the only problem with English football. Fabio Capello, being Italian, understands football, understands tactics, and isn’t going to fanny around with our pathetic celebrity culture. Our best players might learn something working with Capello, which is what a coach is supposed to be for. For too long we have been less than the supposed sum of our parts; hopefully this is about to change. Football is not about who’s most famous, after all.
Seems that everyone likes to write Beckham off, but the last time he played for England, he looked like the best guy on the field, fighting for every ball.
All he has to really do is run around and wait for a free kick, and he is spot on. In this “results business” it seems like many England games often come down to that one free kick, and he is still the master.
I think it was a mistake to leave him off.
Derek
31 Jan 08 at 11:50 pm
He’s out of season Rich. Not sure what he was supposed to do about that? He’s been training with Arsenal to stay in shape but it’s not the same. He went to Africa, (in the off season) to help out with a worthy cause and then to Brazil to do some business which you can criticize him for. According to an article I read this morning, Cappelo politely called him before the squad was announced and let him know. But that doesn’t mean that he was being singled out for jet setting.
Your right, Cappelo is a no nonsense sort of manager. To the extreme if you ask me. But Beckham and Cappelo are familiar with each other. He knows what he’s capable of it needed.
bqfootball
1 Feb 08 at 1:48 am
I just hope Becks gets his 100th cap eventually. I think he deserves that for his contributions to England over the years. I’m not sure why he couldn’t get the call for a meaningless friendly but I suppose that it might be a good sign that Capello will stick to his guns.
BC
1 Feb 08 at 3:19 am
Cappello has already demonstrated intelligence and thoroughness beyond any of his predecessors:
“I have selected a squad of 30 players as I think it is important that all the players are equal from the beginning,” added Capello. “There are a lot of games before we join up and I think it is better that we are prepared for any injuries. This way we are not expecting to call players up as late replacements when I name a 23-man squad on Saturday evening.”
Leaving out Beckham was spot on. He’s playing in the equivalent of the Championship, at best, and no-one suggested Capello call up Kevin Philips.
Picking anyone just because they’re good at taking free kicks always smacked of desperation - picking someone for sentimental reasons would have been even worse. Especially when you consider it’s been several years since he really performed in the national shirt (the odd free-kick or cross aside).
Fulham in Brussels
1 Feb 08 at 7:14 am
It often comes down to the “odd free-kick or cross.”
Good luck to England.
Derek
1 Feb 08 at 6:08 pm
Fulham in Brussels, you’ve bristled my hair a bit with your comment about MLS and the Galaxy being Championship at best. Sorry, but I can tell you don’t know what your talking about in that regard.
I am a follower of both the Premier League and MLS and catch the ocasional Championship game; and where I will readily admit that MLS is no where near Premier League I will tell you that most MLS teams could beat most Championship teams. It’s a lot better league than most Europeans will give the Americans credit for because there is still the stigma that Americans can’t play football. Well that day has changed and there are a lot of very talented American football players and more coming. As a football trainer I’ve been watching this deveoplment over the last 20 years and it’s growth is actualy pretty staggering. Not just in numbers but in the skill level of young American players compared to when I first started training.
Are we at European standards yet. No were not. But were getting there and the league has had some vast improvements over the last two years and am looking forward to this coming season which I suspect will only get better.
And to Rich, from Du Nord today:
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger after Beckman had trained with his squad for three weeks: “We were all amazed how good he was.”
bqfootball
2 Feb 08 at 4:41 am