England National Football Team Blog

Pardew reveals England interest

2012-01-25T12:27:00.000Z

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has revealed he would love the chance to take charge of England at some point after the European Championships.

Current Three Lions boss Fabio Capello will take charge of the national side for the major tournament in Poland and the Ukraine this summer.

Once again there will be plenty expectation on England to perform at the Euros and it will be up to the Italian tactician to get his side playing well at the competition, with the team set to face Ukraine, Sweden and France in their group. Anyone looking at the online Euro 2012 odds will know things won't be easy.

However Capello looks set to leave the role with the FA following the tournament and the search has already begun for a new manager for the Three Lions.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is the favourite to take over from Capello but Pardew has admitted he would relish the chance to manage his country.

The Magpies boss told The Sun: "Right now I'm fully behind Harry. I hope he gets it because he'd understand that role.

"Hopefully I'll get myself into a position where I'm experienced enough to be able to do that. I want to be at the top of my profession.

"I'd like to expand myself and manage overseas but, ultimately, would I like to be England manager at some stage if I was lucky enough to be asked? Yes."

What will City and United make of the Europa League?

2011-12-29T16:31:00.000Z

When the season started fans of Manchester City and Manchester United will never have expected to be discussing their chances of winning the Europa League.

However, after failing to qualify from their respective groups in the Champions League both clubs find themselves looking at life in Europe’s second tier competition.

Given the importance of domestic matters though, questions have to be asked about how seriously they will be taking the Europa League.

One of the major attractions about the Champions League is the amount of money it generates for clubs and its little brother offers nowhere near as much cash. Those looking at the best online Europa League betting should remember this.

With that in mind, both clubs could be tempted to player weakened sides in order to ensure they have the best possible chance of winning the Premier League.

When the knockout stages of the competition get under way, United will face Ajax, while City face a tie with Porto.

Given both English sides will be facing tough matches against teams who might have also been expecting to play in the Champions League this season, questions will be asked as to whether either Sir Alex Ferguson or Roberto Mancini will be willing to risk their best players when they will be needed to fight for honour on other fronts.

With the FA Cup still up for grabs, it could be that both managers decide that the Europa League simply is not worth the effort and sacrifice it in order to ensure their star men are fit for what could be a very close title run in.

Should John Terry Be At The Euro's?

2011-12-23T09:44:00.001Z

John Terry is a the heart of yet another controversy as we head into 2012, as he faces criminal charges for the apparent racial abuse he made towards QPR's Anton Ferdinand last month, and bwin are already taking bets on whether he will be on the plane to Poland & Ukraine in the summer.

Terry will no doubt be appealing the case and has vowed to clear his name, but with the case surely to be dragged out for a good few months, what affect will all of this have on the dynamics of the England team as they prepare for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine?

Terry was at the centre of another storm prior to the World Cup in 2010 which saw him lose his captaincy as we can see in the victor chandler review. Of course the players and managers played any speculation down that Terry's actions had split the England camp, but the performance of the England team certainly suggested otherwise.

Whether the England players in the 2010 squad were divided or not, the pure distraction and scrutiny of the media wouldn't have been any good for the players to simply focus on their football, and that was clearly evident.

On the back of that, Im not convinced that the England managers and staff will want similar circumstances in Poland & Ukraine, and it might be a better idea to leave John Terry at home.

Of course he is a fantastic player and will be greatly missed on the pitch for his leadership and quality but England do have a number of promising Centre Backs who step into that role and they will come without the baggage of controversy which will result in a much more focused and healthier England camp.

With Suarez receiving an 8 match ban from the FA with seemingly little evidence of a similar situation, John Terry has actually been criminally charged. Therefore, the FA will certainly have grounds and will also have the pressure to make an example of Terry and will no doubt hit him with a lengthy ban.

This could make it easier for Capello as Terry may be suspended for the Euro's or he may be unfit, but regardless of this it might be a good idea to keep him out anyway!

Is Phil Jones Ready For England?

2011-12-21T22:46:00.000Z

Phil Jones is really starting to make a name for himself this season for Manchester United, and the bwin review is predicting that he could be in the frame to play a more leading role for England at the Euro's this summer.

19 year old Jones made his England Debut back in October where he played at right back against Montenegro in the crucial qualifier, but against Spain in November, where England surprised stan james odds with a victory, he played in central midfield.

The point is that Jones doesn't have much experience in an England shirt but he has versatility to play in a number of positions, and the way he has been playing recently, he is showing that he should be getting a starting place some where in Fabio Capello's first eleven.

He is playing so well that he is being compared to some of the greatest players in the history of the game. Phil Neville likened him to Roy Keane last Sunday as he drove the Manchester United central midfield; Sir Booby Charlton compared him with the late Duncan Edwards with his power, speed and strength; while Fabio Capello compared him to Franco Baresi, saying that Jones has extremely high quality in the centre back and centre midfield positions which not many players have ever had.

When you are receiving such plaudits from some of the games most respected men at just 19 years old, you know the future is looking bright. But there will be plenty of people who think Jones should be in Capello's squad.

He could be the holding player as part of a 3 man midfield, he could be a central defender or he could even be at right back!

What ever the case, if he continues the current form he is in for his club, and continues to improve, his England career could peak a lot more sooner than he perhaps might have expected!

Rooney outlines Europa intent

2011-12-20T15:02:00.003Z

While the Europa League will definitely not have been in Manchester United's plans this season, that doesn't mean the reigning Premier League champions won't be going all-out to lift the trophy.

After admitting his disappointment at exiting the Champions League, Wayne Rooney has made it clear that the focus will be on winning the tournament now they are competing in the Europa League – not something many would have foreseen at the start of the season.

The England striker insisted there was still plenty of motivation for them to do well in the tournament – especially seeing as they won't be the only big name in the competition. Those looking at the Europa League betting odds online should bear this in mind.

"Unfortunately we went out and now we turn our attention to the Premier League and Europa League," he said.

"Every competition we enter we want to win."

"There are some good teams but we have to believe, keep working and hopefully we can go on and win it."

United were unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League in the group stage, forcing them to join Europe's second-tier competition at the last-32 stage and adding some serious glamour to the tournament.

It remains to be seen as to how Sir Alex Ferguson approaches the tournament in regards using his star players – although Rooney's comments point to the club showing some intent in their Europa League campaign.

United, along with bitter rivals Manchester City, will be stand-out favourites to win the tournament now their Champions League dreams are over for another season – although that is reliant on the club taking the competition seriously, something that remains to be seen.

Can Chelsea claim the FA Cup trophy in the 2011/12 season?

2011-11-30T14:02:00.001Z

A little while after Chelsea’s takeover back in June 2003, the London club looked to be a dominant force in the Premier League and each of the other competitions that they featured in.

The Blues seemed to have an unlimited amount of money to burn with the sheer number of transfers made. But recently, Chelsea have floundered and current manager – Andre Villas-Boas – isn’t getting the results required to make an impact on the Premiership, which in turn casts doubts in the mind as to whether Chelsea will be able to conquer the prestigious FA Cup. Those looking at the latest FA Cup betting should remember this.

Chelsea’s last encounter in the FA Cup did not go according to plan as Premier League rivals Everton knocked out The Blues in the Fourth Round. The ties was played at Goodison Park and ended in a 1-1 draw with goals from The Toffees' leading striker Louis Saha in the 62nd minute, and a follow up from Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou in the 75th minute.

The replay proved to be much more exciting with the encounter ending in a penalty shootout with Everton edging the victory at a score of 4-3. The last time Chelsea won an FA Cup was in the 2009/10 season. The result finished favourably for Chelsea as The Blues beat Portsmouth 1-0 with a goal from Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba in the 59th minute.

So, in answer to the question in the title – ‘Can Chelsea claim the FA Cup trophy in the 2011/12 season?’ – The answer to this would have to be no. Villas-Boas’ squad does not currently have the firepower required to overcome the likes of the might Manchester City, or Manchester United.

Although if Villas-Boas acquires the talents of a prolific goal scorer, and bolsters up his shallow defense, then the London club could well succeed.

Oxlade-Chamberlain shines as Arsenal lose

2011-11-30T10:03:00.000Z

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain once again showed just why he is so highly thought of among the Arsenal coaching staff, the youngster producing an impressive display in the narrow Carling Cup defeat to Manchester City. The teenager was one of the few bright-sparks in a disappointing night for the Gunners, who will now miss out on a realistic chance of ending their trophy drought, Oxlade-Chamberlain looking lively and dangerous throughout the match. Anyone placing a Carling Cup bet would have been impressed.

In a rare start in the Arsenal first-team, the former Southampton trainee enhanced his growing reputation with a stand-out display for the hosts. While the Gunners' manager was rightly disappointed to see his young team dumped out of the tournament, the Frenchman was quick to pour praise on Oxlade-Chamberlain for his thoroughly mature performance. Fans of Carling Cup betting should remember this.

"Chamberlain had an excellent performance," said Wenger.

"There is a big talent there, it looks as well as though he is not fazed by the occasion and can take the pressure he was under tonight."

"How much he wants it can decide how far he can go, the potential is there."

It remains to be seen whether this performance will see Oxlade-Chamberlain start to push for a regular inclusion in the Arsenal first-team. If the youngster can continue to take his chances to impress when called upon, then he'll make it hard for his manager to overlook him.

Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace preview

2011-11-29T15:43:00.001Z

The draw for the Quarter-Finals of the English League Cup was made on the 29th of October 2011. Remaining in the tournament are 6 Premier League squads, along with 2 Championship clubs.

In this particular article I will give a brief explanation regarding Manchester United's and Crystal Palace's form in the 2011/12 season, then I shall clarify the Fourth Round matches that ensured qualification to the Quarter-Finals for the aforementioned teams, I will then finalise with a short match prediction.

The Red Devils' current standing in the Premiership sees them reside in 2nd position, just behind bitter rivals Manchester City by a total of 5 points. Their form in the Premier League leaves much to be desired; even with the results they have been acquiring. What United are lacking most at the moment is a solid central midfielder. Anyone looking at the best online Carling Cup betting should remember this.

This is possibly the reason why Man United have been underperforming so far this season. In the 2011/12 season, Palace currently sit in 10th position and are a mere 2 points off a play-off place.

Current manager – Dougie Freedman - has acquired some fantastic results along with the installation of a great team spirit, which has maintained Palace's good performances. To gain qualification into the Quarter-Finals of the League Cup, Manchester United dominated the League Two outfit Aldershot with a deserved 0-3 away victory with goals from: Bulgarian national Dimitar Berbatov in the 15th minute, English national Michael Owen in the 51st minute and Ecuadorian international Antonio Valencia in the 48th minute.

Crystal Palace's method of qualification was via a 2-0 home victory against the on form Southampton. It was a close match but The Eagles certainly deserved their victory.

My match prediction for the encounter between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, hosted at the Old Trafford, would have to be 4-0 to the home side. United are far too equipped to be beaten by a Championship side, especially so when the stakes are high. If Sir Alex Ferguson – the current manager of The Red Devils – fields a first team, then United could make the score line even greater.
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Champions League: Which English club has the potential to get the furthest in the tournament?

2011-11-28T12:02:00.000Z

In this season’s UEFA Champions League, there remains 4 top Premiership clubs in the running for the prestigious title. These teams include: Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal.

The only English club to qualify so far is Arsenal. The Gunners have an extensive history including: 3 Premier League titles, 10 FA Cup trophies and 2 League Cups.

Unfortunately Arsenal fans are yet to see their side accomplish the ultimate glory of achieving the European Cup. The last time they got close was back in the 2005/06 season where they managed to reach a Champions League final. People who bet on Champions League winner should remember this.

Manchester United are the most successful English club of all time. Their magnificent honours include: 12 Premiership titles, 11 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, and 3 UEFA Champions League titles. As United are one of the most experienced clubs on a European basis, they are sure to qualify to the Knockout Phase of the competition; but I’m not sure if they have what it takes to advance any further than that. Man City are the new boys on the block with regards to European football. But maybe this year City could shock football fans and claim the prestigious European title. Last but not least is the London club Chelsea. They have lacked an authority this season so they are likely to struggle in their final game in the group stages. But only time will tell as to whether Chelsea can advance to the latter stages of the tournament. Those placing a Champions League bet should remember this.

So, in answer to the question in the title – ‘Which English club has the potential to get the furthest in the tournament?’ This question is quite a difficult one to answer. But the team I feel has the most potential in terms of quality would have to be Manchester City. They have a range of excellent players and are the only team that has what it takes to beat the best teams in the world. The likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea cannot match City with regards to ability. The only problem is that City’s road to qualifying to the Knockout Phase of the competition is quite a difficult one.

Eagles out to shock Red Devils

2011-11-28T10:58:00.000Z

Crystal Palace face one of the hardest tests in European football, as they get set to take on Manchester United in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

A win for the Championship side would be the biggest potential upset of the quarter-final draw but they come up against United side who thrive on these games, especially at Old Trafford.

Palace have exceeded many peoples’ expectations this season, as they sit just two points of the play-off places, having just escaped relegation on the final day of last term. Those placing a Carling Cup bet should remember this.

However results in recent weeks have been poor with a 3-0 and 2-0 defeat to Leicester City and Cardiff respectively in their last two outings.

Admittedly those were two games on the road but manager Dougie Freedman has raised the standards at Palace and they will be looking for improvements soon.

They will have to if they want to get anything against United who will be looking to use their squad for this game, with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Antonio Valencia and Tom Cleverley set to play a big role. Those following the football odds should bear this in mind.

The Red Devils also have the experience of Ryan Giggs to call upon and like he should in the Carling Cup victory over old rivals Leeds United, the Welshman can still dictate a game at will.

Palace have made great strides this season but based on current form and how United seem to wrestling teams into submission with 1-0 victories in recent weeks, it’s likely to be Ferguson and not Freedman who will be the happier of the two Scots come the final whistle on Wednesday.

England 1 - Sweden 0

2011-11-26T14:39:00.000Z

Errrr, sorry for the late posting. England unbeated in 2011!

Satisfying Week For Capello!

2011-11-17T20:42:00.001Z

It has been one of Fabio Capello's better weeks as England manager this week with a victory over the World Champions Spain on Saturday and then against Sweden on Tuesday night.

Your Gambling Guardian predicted a number of changes in personnel for the two games which were used to experiment with a number of players and Capello will have a learnt a lot, and will have more of an idea of who will be on the plane to Poland next summer.

Not only that, but Capello will have been pleased to see his team put in solid defensive displays by keeping two clean sheets, while the performances gave England fans a little bit of pride back and optimism for what could be a bright future!

While England didn't play champagne football that we would all love to see, they never the less got the job done. In all honesty, I wouldn't put any money on them beating Spain in Euro 2012 and Sportsbook guardian tips agree. But at the end of the day, but there have been many teams in the past that have won tournaments without playing the expansive football that the Spanish team currently does.

Look at Greece in Euro 2004, Italy in 2006 or even the Capello Real Madrid teams that won La Liga titles. It is possible!

I am not getting ahead of myself or carried away on the back of two victories, England will count themselves lucky to win on Saturday and could have very easily been a 2/3-0 loss to a Spain team who were playing in third gear. They lack creativity, cant keep possession of the ball, and are very predictable, but they are setting the foundations to be hard to beat, which will put them in good stead for the Euro's!

In addition to that, we have some promising young talent coming through with the likes of Phil Jones, Rodewell, Walker and Wellbeck playing exceptionally well. While Scott Parker will be one of the first names on the team sheet. Add to this the likes of Rooney, Young, Wilshere and Gerrard who were all missing this week, and the England squad doesn't look too bad at all!

England 1 Spain 0

2011-11-14T12:15:00.000Z

Moral boosting win against the Euro and World Champs!

Euro 2012: Analysing England

2011-11-14T11:07:00.001Z

England last won a prestigious footballing event back in 1966. It was Sir Alf Ramsey that led them to a glorious 4-2 victory in extra time against the West German side in the final.

Since winning the World Cup in 1966, England have failed to obtain any other high-status trophy.

The closest they came to winning a European title was back in 1996 where England finished in a respectable 3rd place. Those following the Euro 2012 odds will be wondering how they will get on this season.

Fabio Capello – England’s current manager - has the formidable task of leading the England side to victory in the Euro 2012. In terms of talent, England are right up there with Germany, France, and Italy. But for some reason, England seem to underperform each time a Euro Cup, or a World Cup comes around.

This could be down to the people of England’s high expectations for their national side, or it could be down to poor managerial skills, it could even be down to a lack of quality players.

At first, Capello was deemed to be a good choice as the leader of the English national team. But after achieving next to nothing, most English fans want rid of the Italian manager.

With Capello stepping down at the end of the Euro 2012, the manager that England fans want most is Tottenham’s current boss Harry Redknapp. I’m sure that Redknapp has the potential to do a much better job than the current manager.

England’s last match saw them face Montenegro with the result ending in a 2-2 draw. In that particular match, Manchester United’s Ashley Young, and Aston Villa’s Darren Bent managed to get on the score sheet. Both of the aforementioned players will be a danger to any opposition in the Euro 2012.

At the moment, Capello needs to look at which players are on form, and pick the players accordingly. For example, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Bent have formed an impressive strike partnership for Aston Villa, and Capello would be daft not to use that to his advantage in the forth-coming matches.

Who should England take to Euro 2012?

2011-11-07T16:45:00.001Z

In the up and coming Euro 2012 competition, the England national team looks to be one of the strongest yet.

England have never won the prestigious European title, nor have they been runners up, but with their current array of talent I can see the English progressing far in the tournament.

The goalkeeper position is deservedly held by no other than Manchester City's stopper Joe Hart. So far this season, Hart's performances have been outstanding. England fans will be hoping for the stopper from Shrewsbury to continue his good run-of-form in the Euro 2012.

In the right back position I would have Tottenham's Kyle Walker. This season Walker has been in terrific form and is sure to bring his good form into the England side for the up-and-coming tournament. Those looking at the Euro 2012 betting online should remember this.

The left back position for England would have to be occupied by Chelsea's Ashley Cole. Although I can see Cole being a bit of a weak link, he's still the best English left back around. The centre back position in the English team is a harder position to fill due to the several quality players available. But my two centre backs would have to be Chelsea captain, and current England captain John Terry, and Manchester United youngster Phil Jones.

Right and left midfield would have to be taken by United's Ashley young, and Arsenal's nippy winger Theo Walcott. Both of these players have been in amazing form so far this season. In the centre of the park I would have Tottenham's prolific midfielder Scott Parker, and City's James Milner. The striking partnership for the England side is a difficult choice.

If I had to choose in terms of pure talent then it would have to be United's Wayne Rooney, and Aston Villa's key man Darren Bent. But if I was to choose in terms of who would work best together, it would have to be Rooney, and his United counterpart Danny Welbeck.

Becks needs games in his bid for Gold

2011-10-20T09:29:00.003+01:00

David Beckham has his heart set on winning gold for team GB at next summer's Olympics in London and says he must be playing regularly in 2012 in order to be ready to lead the side to glory in just under 12 months.

Becks is currently weighing up his options with his current LA Galaxy contract set to expire next month and there are a clutch of clubs, both in England and abroad, willing to do battle for his signature. Those looking at football betting sites will be wondering will be keeping an eye on his decision.

Leicester boss Sven Goran Eriksson has made it clear he wants the former England man to turn out for the Foxes in the Championship while Spurs and Blackburn of the Premier League have also been linked with him recently.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star will be free to join a new club from January although he says he could yet stay with the MLS side. Central to Beckham's plans, however, will be how much game-time he is guaranteed wherever he is playing and big-spending French side Paris Saint-Germain are also very keen.

Beckham, now 37, admits to being "amazed" at the amount of interest in him at the twilight of his career and he will take his time to decide his next move.

"I have had a lot of offers and I must say that I'm amazed that, at my age, I have had so many. Its been a bit of a surprise," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"What will actually happen next I still can't say, but what is very important in the decision in terms of what I do, be it staying here, or going to PSG or wherever, is that I get enough time on the pitch because I want to be part of the Olympics.

"I've made no secret of that. Even to be in the team would be incredible. To be part of that Olympic spirit and to be able to win gold for Britain would be the ultimate [goal] for me."

A draw in Montenegro means qualification!

2011-10-08T08:09:00.001+01:00

A 2-2 draw means England have qualified for Euro 2012!

Pearce gives FA food for thought

2011-09-30T16:43:00.000+01:00

Stuart Pearce feels he is not ready to become the next England manager when Fabio Capello steps down, news which will make the Football Association sit up and take notice.

The powers-that-be at FA headquarters will have already been discussing who will take the reins of the national side, when Capello quits following Euro 2012 – should England qualify.

Pearce has been seen by some as a natural successor and it seems that was the plan for the FA, after giving him a coaching role beside Capello and sticking by him as Under-21 boss. Those following the Euro 2012 betting will have expected him to have one eye on the job.

But despite the invaluable experience he will have gained in the last couple of years, the former England full-back believes he needs more time to learn his trade.

Pearce will be 50 when Capello steps aside, but 'Psycho' thinks he needs more managerial experience before he can think about taking the senior position. Those looking at stars and strikes may agree.

The former Manchester City boss said: "I believe it's maybe a job for an older man who has got more experience. If you amass all the games (as a manager, it is less than 200 matches. For me, there is not enough experience there."

So who do the FA turn to?

They have been strong indications that they will look to a British manager, after failed spells under Capello (so far) and Sven Goran Eriksson.

Harry Redknapp appears to be number one candidate and he has often admitted it's a job he would be proud to take.

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson is another who has been mentioned, with previous international experience with Switzerland. But his failure at Liverpool may concern those doing the hiring.

Martin O'Neill, Sam Allardyce and even David Beckham are the other names believed to be in the frame for the role some describe as the "impossible job".

Wright-Phillips targets England call

2011-09-27T12:42:00.001+01:00

Queens Park Rangers winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has admitted that he had not given up hope of playing for England once again.

The 29-year old moved to Loftus Road in the summer from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee, after two spells at Eastlands, stretching back 12 years. He left the club in 2005 to join Chelsea for a fee of £21 million, but the move didn't work out to plan and he returned to City in 2008.

After failing to break into Roberto Mancini's side at the start of this season, the London-born winger felt it was the right time to move away from the club once again and he returned to his home city with Neil Warnock's QPR. People looking at the betting odds will know he has started well.

Wright-Phillips has made 36 appearances for the national side, and was selected for manager Fabio Capello's 23-man squad that went to the World Cup in South Africa last year. However, since then, he has not been a part of the Italians plans, mainly due to not playing regular first-team football. In fact, when the national team have been playing lately he will have had time to watch a Man United Bowling Video.

The winger one was one of several players to add to the newly promoted Premier League side over the summer, along with Joey Barton, DJ Campbell and Luke Young.

Man United bowling

The England manager was on hand to watch Wright-Phillips in his side's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, and he could not be set for a return to the national side in their upcoming Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on October 7.

The Three Lions are unbeaten so far in their Group G qualifying group and need just a point against Montenegro to secure a place at next year's finals in Poland and Ukraine.

England slide in the rankings

2011-09-21T14:51:00.000+01:00

England have fallen down to eighth in the latest FIFA world rankings, despite consecutive victories in their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.

Fabio Capello's men have fallen behind Uruguay, Portugal, Italy and Brazil in the standings, which are based on the results of the last four years. Those looking at the betting won't be too surprised.

Their recent form has been good, after beating Bulgaria 4-0 in Sofia, and Wales 1-0 at Wembley, as they sit top of Group G in the Euro 2012 qualifying table, and remain unbeaten in the group.

World Champions Spain are back to number one in the rankings, after leapfrogging Holland who fall to second place.

Germany reaming in third after winning all eight of their qualifying games, and have already booked a place for the finals of Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Copa America champions Uruguay moved up to fourth place after winning their continental football tournament. They beat Paraguay in the final to win the event for the 15th time. They beat Argentina and Peru on the way to picking up the trophy. Fans of Betfair will have to keep an eye on them.

Wales are amongst the biggest climbers, and are now in the world's top 100, after moving up 27 places. This follows their Euro 2012 qualifying win in Group G over Montenegro.

Republic of Ireland and Scotland both move up the table. Ireland climb up two positions to 29th thanks to draws against Slovakia and Russia. Whilst the Scots edge up three places to 52nd following a win over Lithuania and an impressive draw against Czech Republic.

However, Northern Ireland lose ground in the rankings, moving down to 70th, 11 places below their previous standing. Defeats to Serbia and Estonia have taken effect on their position for Nigel Worthington's team.

England 1 Wales 0

2011-09-07T08:29:00.001+01:00

This 1-0 win means England need just 1 point to qualify for Euro 2012.

Bulgaria v England result!

2011-09-03T09:20:00.002+01:00

0-3 to England. England now look in a strong position to qualify after Montenegro lose to Wales.

Terry eyes management role

2011-07-21T13:13:00.002+01:00

England skipper John Terry has admitted that one day he would love to manage his boyhood club Chelsea.

The defender has spent all his career at Stamford Bridge , appearing almost 500 times in the first team after joining the academy as a 14-year-old.

Terry has shown on many occasions that he has no problem giving his all for the club and after being the subject of a number of other clubs both home and abroad, hopes his loyalty will be awarded with a position in the coaching staff once he retires and then eventually the manager's position. Those who follow the Betfair in-play odds will be keeping a close eye on him.

"Obviously my overall aim is to become manager,"Terry said. "And looking at this (Villas-Boas' appointment), as well as Roberto Di Matteo being brought in as coach, it's great for current players as well.

"They are giving chances to people who have been around the club and who know the club inside out as well".

The 30-year-old currently has three years remaining on his contract which will mean at the end of his current contract he'll be at the same age as new Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas. Despite only being in management for one full season, the Portuguese boss has already won his home country's domestic double as well as the Europa League. The online betting indicates he can do the same for Chelsea.

Terry believes that after such a sparkling start to his management career, the 33-year-old will only continue his success at Chelsea and despite his lack of experience will lead the club back to winner's circle after a disappointing season last term.

World Cup worries show why England would have been good choice for 2018

2011-06-27T16:09:00.000+01:00

Although hosting the World Cup is a dream that has long since died, England fans can nevertheless take a little bit of pleasure in the fact that FIFA is already having to worry about its decision to allow Brazil to host the 2014 competition (a bid similar to Qatar and Russia's in the sense that it involves a lot of work developing, making and remodelling stadiums) as it starts to consider what is going to happen should Brazil fail to have everything in place and the 2014 tournament schedule falls apart, something that could so easily happen given the scale of work that still needs to be completed. Those who bet football online will wonder if they can get things sorted.

With England already set up and ready to hold the tournament (within reason the country could host a competition on the scale of the World Cup with tomorrow as a start date), and with the international football community seemingly desperate to take more extreme risks in trying to pick up big bucks from new markets that it hasn't already conquered, the fact remains that it may take an almighty failure to steer FIFA (less its corrupt officials) back towards the traditional heartlands of football in Europe for future World Cups. Anyone looking at Euro 2012 betting odds should remember this.

Should this not happen, we may start to find that the next set of World Cup bids come from the likes of Iran and North Korea as FIFA look once again to take its tournament to markets that it doesn't yet dominate in and is looking to get onside. Whatever does happen in the long-term, English fans can at least take pleasure from the fact that FIFA are starting get a bit twitchy about their decisions.

England 2 Switzerland 2

2011-06-09T18:00:00.002+01:00

The main story being how tired the England team were for this end of season match, obviously not boding well for the main tournements which typically take place at this time of year! For the record England were 0-2 down. England stay top of the group thogh as Montenegro drew with Hungary.

Well done the FA, now for the next step

2011-05-23T14:37:00.000+01:00

Usually the FA are about as competent as a small band of ants would be at winning an F1 Grand Prix, but their decision to show FIFA that they have no interest whatsoever in supporting two equally flawed candidates shows at least that the FA has started to realise that they cannot continue to ally themselves with an organisation with numerous problems. Those who follow international football betting will know that the World Cup being played in Qatar doesn't seem quite right.

However, despite already showing that they are starting to realise they cannot be associated with an organisation that offers them nothing and takes a fairly sizeable chunk of money each year, the FA has not yet made the move it needs to by talking seriously with other football associations about setting up a new governing body for world football that is not so content with keeping the status quo. Those following the football news will hope to see something change soon.

With the FA still without a serious leader, and still appearing gutless in most respects, the chances of us getting a new body that brings in changes that fans want while not choosing to take World Cups to countries that hand FIFA all the profit and leaves only a massive debt in the host nation as a legacy (take a look at the unfortunate South African legacy if you want a sober reading of "taking football to new markets") still appear sadly very slim in the short term.

Carroll to face Capello wrath?

2011-04-28T11:59:00.000+01:00

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has risked facing the wrath of England boss Fabio Capello after the forward was snapped by a sharp-eyed passerby with a Sony digital camera enjoying a drink or two in Madrid prior to last night's Champions League clash in the city between Real and Barcelona. The Liverpool man was out in Madrid to watch the game with goalkeeper Pepe Reina, defender Glen Johnson, midfielder Raul Meireles, and Everton star Tim Cahill, who must surely have felt like something of a misfit!

Carroll scored a stunning goal last month against Ghana and drew instant praise for his exploits on the international scene after not even playing for one season at Premier League level. However, after becoming well-known in Newcastle for a few ill-timed and ill-advised drunken exploits, the player was warned by the England boss about his future conduct.

Capello stated: "His behaviour now is really, really important. Really important. He needs to be careful at every moment. I spoke with him privately. He needs to improve, to drink less".

This weekend, Carroll will experience mixed emotions as his new club Liverpool take on Newcastle at Anfield, a game many will want to follow online or via slingbox. Although the striker has revealed he wants to make the starting line-up despite still feeling a knee injury sustained a couple of weeks ago, any failure to perform may not be put down to nerves, but down to a little too much fun in the sun in the build-up to the game, and for a strict sort like Capello, that could contribute to the striker's international career coming to an end before it has really begun.

Is the Premier League to blame for England's failure?

2011-04-28T11:51:00.000+01:00

The England national football team has been handed yet another blow, as if any more were needed after last summer's World Cup humiliation, after an adviser to Michel Platini, the UEFA President, revealed that he believes the position football holds in English culture is holding back the long-term development and short-term international success of the sport.

William Gaillard believes that the manner in which professional football dominates the sport in England, with the Premier League one of the richest and most famous leagues in world football, leaves the English FA in a relatively weak position. His words were spoken to the government's culture, media, and sport committee, who were fairly shocked to hear that the FA are, in his opinion, in a weaker position than any other football association in the whole of Europe.

Possible solutions to this conundrum, according to the UEFA adviser, include introducing a technical director on the national football scene, who would be responsible for developing players and bringing them through into the country's senior first team. With countries such as Netherlands, who enjoyed such a good World Cup in 2010 in South Africa, employing such an individual to encourage the development of young talent, it could be that the government look at introducing such measures over the next five or ten years.

Grass-roots football in England has come under massive amounts of criticism over the last few years and a reliance in the Premier League upon foreign players, many of whom are more interested in accruing as many sponsors as possible or becoming the latest face of the new LED TVs or PS3 accessories than they are helping the development of UK football, has led to some youngsters born and bred in youth academies here to be ignored. If England want to win a major trophy within the next 10 years, they need to reverse what has become a damaging trend.

England 1 v 1 Ghana

2011-03-31T10:00:00.001+01:00

Trying to get pictures....

Wales 0 v England 2

2011-03-31T09:58:00.000+01:00

Still having problems with pictures.....

Terry deserves support of England fans

2011-03-24T12:36:00.000Z

John Terry is a man who many believe committed an unspeakable wrong when having an affair with a team-mate's ex-girlfriend and therefore thoroughly deserved to be denied the England captaincy in the lead-up to the World Cup. However, with that supposed affair never actually proved, with both player and the other party involved always denying it, could it be that Terry deserves nothing but honest praise for the way he has handled himself over the past year?

Many players would have taken Fabio Capello's decision to take away the captaincy in a way that would be to many of us entirely understandable. We all make mistakes, we're all accused of things that are never as black and white as they are made out to be, and we all have to deal with our actions in private. However, being human also means that we're liable to take criticism in entirely the wrong way. It therefore is admirable that a man in the public eye and for whom playing for his country and wearing the armband is the ultimate honour took Capello's decision without questioning, the Chelsea man apparently ending the meeting with a promise to continue to do everything he can for the team and those concentrating on the international football betting should remember this.

Terry has excelled this season at Chelsea and showed at the weekend against Manchester City that rare quality in central defenders nowadays: the quality of preventing the opposition from scoring even if it means risking injury. With Terry captaining Chelsea for the best part of a decade now, he has the experience that not many other defenders for England can boast and anyone who has bet on football will recognise this.

Self-belief is obviously one thing the defender possesses in abundance, and that's what England need at the back, especially when coming up against superior teams. If Terry can convey this self-belief to his younger team mates on the pitch and perhaps lead his team to success in the Euros, it could be that he does go down in the England history books after all, despite what may or may not have gone on off the pitch.

Jarvis out to impress on international stage

2011-03-22T13:31:00.001Z

Matt Jarvis has become the first Wolves player since Steve Bull in 1992 to earn a call-up to the England squad. The winger is rightly over the moon with his inclusion and has described it as "a dream" after Fabio Capello finally decided the 24-year-old is international class. Jarvis will be in contention to pick up his first cap this weekend against Wales and again in the following friendly against Ghana. Jarvis proved a point again this weekend, scoring his the only goal in the 1-0 defeat of Aston Villa at Molineux.

The call-up has been long deserved after storming the league this season. Jarvis seems to be the perfect winger, with pin-point crossing ability combined with lighting pace and quick feet. While the wingers in the England team always seem to have weaknesses in one area of their game, Jarvis looks to have all the attributes to needed to succeed at the top level. Those wondering how to use Betfair may want to back him to do well on his debut.

An excited Jarvis expressed his delight at his call up while speaking to the club website.

He said: "It's great for me and I'm delighted but having been named in the squad it will be a case of meeting up tonight and aiming to impress. Like every player it's been a dream of mine to try and play for England since starting off in the game and getting into the squad takes me one step closer."

Jarvis' impressive performance at the weekend was just the latest in a string of quality displays for a struggling Wolves side. The former Gillingham youngster has taken to Premier League football like the proverbial duck, and a number of the big boys are closely monitoring Jarvis' situation come the summer. If Wolves do go down, then holding on to their star player would be a seemingly impossible mission for Mick McCarthy and those looking for a little Betfair help probably understand this.

Until the end of the season though, Jarvis will be doing all he can to help Wolves start climbing away from the relegation zone. With nearly half the sides in the league in real danger of being dragged into the battle at the bottom, Wolves will be hoping to build on their Villa victory and put together an important run.

Denmark 1 - England 2

2011-02-10T16:54:00.001Z

Our photo source is a bit of a problem at the moment.....

Carroll can prove he is the man for Liverpool and England

2011-02-09T18:06:00.000Z

Liverpool took a massive £35 million risk when they opted to sign Andy Carroll on transfer deadline day. With a chequered past to say the least, Carroll has the opportunity to become an Anfield legend – or be consigned to the bin marked “expensive flops”.

Tottenham Hotspur certainly thought Carroll was overpriced and baulked when a sum north of £30 million was mentioned. But at such a young age – the Gateshead-born lad is 22 – he can offer a different type of return on Liverpool’s investment and establish himself in the England set-up for some time to come.

For the Andy Carroll Liverpool experiment to work, he must offer a long-term return for his club and country.

Fabio Capello certainly believes Carroll is the man for England in the long run. Earlier in the week he declared Carroll along with Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere as the future for England. But his temperament means and the baggage that comes with him means that off-the-field matters come as part of the parcel with Carroll.

He has a police caution for an assault involving a woman from 2008, and was involved in a nightclub fight in 2009. Before his move to Liverpool he was forced to live with team-mate Kevin Nolan after being accused of assault by a former girlfriend. It is fair to say that Carroll needs to develop both on and off the pitch for Liverpool to able to justify spending such a large sum on him and for England to place their trust in.

But in Kenny Dalglish and Fabio Capello he has the ideal mentors to help develop his career. Capello, known to rule with an iron fist, will not accept any trouble from him. He made an example of John Terry when his off-field antics interfered with his game, while a man who commands as much respect as Dalglish does from the Liverpool faithful will not be likely to put up with ego’s or out of line behaviour.

Carroll can contribute positively to the fortunes and help rebuild both Liverpool and England. He has talent and a presence most other big men in the Premier League lack. His 11 goals this season have marked him out as a striker that has an eye for goal with the ability to hold the ball up well – a rare combination.

He will not give Liverpool three excellent goal-filled season’s like Fernando Torres did, that is not his game. What he can do is bring the play of Liverpool together; to provide a target for Steven Gerrard’s accurate passing and holding up the ball for the marauding Raul Meireles to latch on to. The same applies for England – his ability to link the midfield and attack mean he can be equally as useful as Torres for Liverpool and Rooney for England, but in a different manner.

He will not get a headline grabbing goal tally, but he can prove he is a £35 million player if he performs consistently over a long period. All he has to do is stay out of trouble and do what he does best. He is currently out injured have damaged his thigh after falling off a bar stool drunk. Dalglish and Capello will not see the funny side of this.

Lord Triesman points finger “weak” FA

2011-02-09T11:17:00.000Z

Former FA Chairman Lord Triesman has told a Parliamentary select committee investigating the way football is run, that he believes it was “impossible” to implement any changes during his time in charge to help the game.

Triesman became the first independent in 2008, but resigned from the role last June. He was also Chairman for England’s failed 2018 World Cup bid but was forced to step down after he was caught up a tabloid sting.

Triesman, who was appearing before MPs on the culture, media and sport select committee, Channel 4 chairman Lord Burns and former FA chief executive Graham Kelly, hinted at deep rooted problems within the FA that are affecting their ability to run the game.

He said he believed it was “impossible to make the changes” for the good of the game, and added that the FA were struggling to maintain power over the running of football in England.

Triesman said the FA’s governance was “thoroughly unsatisfactory", and added "apart from onfield discipline,(the FA) has backed out of regulating completely".

Speaking to BBC Sport, he said the chief reason the FA were struggling to maintain authority was due to the Premier League, who he said is the “ultimate authority” in English football.

The decisions that really decide what is going to go on in English football are taken by the Premier League," Triesman said.

"The control of the huge resources flows largely through them. It naturally enjoys a great deal of authority. But I have always thought that football is one sport.”

"The interests have got to reach from Old Trafford right through to football played by kids organised in parks. You can't have just one interest dominating it.”

The amount of money that the Premier League generates puts them in control of how the game is run in this country, and means the two bodies are in “competition” with each other.

The committee will hear further evidence before deciding if its report will suggest major changes to how the sport’s governing body operates.

Perhaps it is time for football fans across the country to check out Scratch Cards Online and win the money to run the Premier League themselves?

England squad hit by injury

2011-02-07T10:12:00.000Z

England suffered a blow ahead of their friendly against Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday after Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch and Ben Foster were forced to withdraw through injury. Gabriel Agbonlahor will also miss the game for personal reasons. England manager Fabio Capello has called up Rob Greene and Carlton Cole as replacements.

Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard, who would have also captained England on Wednesday, picked up a groin injury in his side’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea which has ruled him out for around a week, while Crouch and Foster have both been released from the squad after a medical assessment on Sunday night.
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish insists Gerrard will miss the game, but he will still undergo a medical assessment by England doctors today. Dalglish said: “He has to go so they (England) can have a look at him but we've spoken to England and he'll not be playing."

With Gerrard out injured, and Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand also unavailable, Capello will be forced to name a new Captain for the midweek friendly. Ferdinand was announced as Captain last February but a knee injury which ruled him out of the World Cup meant Gerrard stepped into the role from his position of vice-captain.
The role will likely be given to Chelsea’s Frank Lampard or Wayne Rooney. Rooney lead the side during their friendly against Brazil in Doha, but after Lampard was elevated to vice-captain after Ferdinand missed the World Cup in South Africa last year, he will be favourite for the position.

Previous captain John Terry was removed as captain after revelations about his personal life last year. Terry’s alleged affair with then team-mate Wayne Bridge’s ex-girlfriend meant he was forced to give up the armband.

Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere will likely step into Gerrard’s midfield position behind Rooney if Capello opts to play a lone striker, or may occupy a deeper position alongside Frank Lampard if the Italian opts to play two strikers.

Check out the latest Scratch Cards information this week and perhaps you could win the money to buy your place in this depleted England squad!

England hope Rooney continues good form ahead of Denmark match

2011-02-03T13:41:00.000Z

England boss will be a relieved man after star striker Wayne Rooney found his scoring boots again as he fired Manchester United to a 3-1 over Aston Villa last night.

Rooney capped an excellent performance with two well taken goals. His first goal was a masterpiece in execution, latching on to a Van Der Sar long ball, the former Everton man took the ball down excellently before driving a fierce shot past Brad Freidel after just one minute, before doubling his tally when Nani found him with an excellent cross.

The manner of the performance will please Capello more than the goals, although the Italian will be happy Rooney is back amongst the goals after a barren spell. Rooney’s goals against Villa meant he doubled his tally for the season, and after missing games over the crucial Christmas period Rooney is now hoping to get back amongst the goals. He said: “I have been happy with my play but obviously I want to score”.

“As a striker you want to score goals but I have been happy with my performances, apart from the Blackpool match last week.” He added.

Rooney was impressed with the service he received during the game and will now hope the likes of Ashley Young and Aaron Lennon will be able to provide a similar standard of delivery for the striker. Although he struggled in an England shirt recently, he is still amongst the favourites with bigfreebet to finish his country’s top scorer in the European qualifying campaign.

The Manchester United man endured a torrid time during England’s doomed World Cup campaign, failing to score and publicly berating supporters for criticising his performances. An ankle injury meant he was sent to America by his club to recoup. The biggest controversy of the season came however, when the 26-year-old handed in a transfer request to his club. He soon retracted his request and is now looking to recapture the form that saw him score over 30 goals in the 2009/10 season.

Big free bet will likely see his odds for finishing as top scorer for United as long after Dimitar Berbatov’s 19 goals so far this season.

England play Denmark at Wembley on February 9th ahead of the resumption of their crucial European Championship campaign against Wales in March. Capello will need to complete an immaculate qualifying campaign if he is to regain the trust of a nation, and needs Rooney to be fit to help him do so.

Hart told to maintain focus

2011-01-27T12:36:00.000Z

It was always going to be a matter of time before people were going to start asking questions about whether Joe Hart should be England's first choice number one. The Manchester City stopper is going through the first bad patch in his short career and the 23-year-old has come in for some criticism. It seems a touch unfair to have a go at Hart after his stunning early season form but Fabio Capello has felt the need to come out to warn his keeper about the importance of focusing on consistency.

"He has made mistakes but, also, he is young. I think it is important for him to understand that he has to be focused in every moment of the game," he said.

Although Hart was clearly to blame for Andy King's equaliser in City's FA Cup tie with Leicester, to cast him as culpable for Darren Bent's debut winner for Villa last week is way off the mark. Hart pulled off a smart save from Ashley Young's curling effort and it was only down to the slowness of his defenders reactions that allowed Bent to snap up the loose ball. The football odds suggested City should have won that game, but it's not Hart's fault they didn't.

Beside the fact that England need to show their goalkeeper some belief and backing, there isn't an obvious choice for who would replace Hart. Ben Foster has had his own form issues this season and isn't in the best form for Birmingham. Rob Green is doing all he can for West Ham but he is still the keeper of a side bottom of the league and one the football betting tips indicate will be relegated.

The unfortunate thing is that the Premier League's form keeper is Paul Robinson, but the Blackburn number one has hung up his international gloves and is steadfast in his decision to focus on his club career. All that means, rather than trying to question Hart's ability to handle being England's number one, they should focus on backing the man that has more than enough potential to be one of the world's best goalkeepers. If Peter Shilton can amass 100 plus caps then Joe Hart can certainly establish a legacy as England's best ever keeper.

Joe needs to take Hart

2011-01-25T15:41:00.000Z

His own manager managed to sum it up best earlier in the week. “Joe lacks concentration” said Roberto Mancini, cutting him down to a size impractical for a goalkeeper.

But the Italian had a point. Darren Bent’s much publicised pounce on a Hart error that led to their downfall (although some might suggest that their inability to put the ball in the Villa net despite the hatful of opportunities probably didn’t help) means the man touted as England’s number one for some time to come will have to take reflect and take stock.

Hart’s goalkeeping ability hasn’t diminished from the start of the season when his name was on everyone’s lips. Ashley Young tested him with a good long range effort in the first half while he had to be sharp to narrow the angle and smother the ball with the help of two of his defenders to stop Bent putting Villa 2-0 up in the dying minutes. It’s just the man who started the season on fire has dwindled down to a slight glow after a succession of mistakes prompted his manager to speak out.

In an era marked with English goalkeeping errors most looked to Hart as a beacon of consistency and hoped he would take up where David Seaman left off. The fact he appears to have fallen foul of the same curse that did for the likes of Scott Carson, Robert Greene and David James will worry England fans. What is it about the English goalkeeper gloves that unnerves even the most confident of goalkeepers in possession of them?

Of late Hart has produced more errors than he would have liked; a rushed clearance offering Villa a chance at the weekend, and a mistake in the FA Cup tie against Leicester prompted his manager to suggest “without Joe’s mistake the replay wouldn’t be happening”.

Contrast that with Paul Robinson’s excellent performance against West Brom on Sunday; The man who is still haunted by a bobble of a ball on a cold Croatian night has looked like a new man of late and could well take Hart’s place in goal when Denmark are the opponents in little over two weeks’ time. Although unlikely, the performance of Robinson will likely see football betting patterns move back towards him.

England and Manchester City will rightly believe that Hart is the man for the job in the long run; his natural exuberance and confidence coupled with his extraordinary athleticism make for a lethal combination, and if he can heed Mancini’s warning then the discussion surrounding England’s number one will be no more.

At 23, Hart displays qualities way beyond his years while also betraying his age with some of his decision making. But Mancini is the right man to keep him on track; recent media comments about Adam Johnson gives an indication of his attempts to keep the younger members of his squad grounded and one suspects his comments were designed to do more than criticise Hart. Reports of his downfall are somewhat premature; a clever man would likely place football bets that the unflappable Hart ends the season in the manner he began it.

England fans urge Mancini to give youth a chance

2011-01-05T09:50:00.002Z

Even though international football has been off the agenda for some time now, with Premier League and Champions League concerns occupying the back pages of the newspapers in recent weeks, Fabio Capello will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the development of a couple of players he and many England fans believe will play a crucial role in the future of the team in the build-up to the Euro 2012 tournament and beyond.

Although Capello will obviously be delighted at the role that Jack Wilshere is playing at Arsenal, who finally look like they have the level of grit and determination in midfield required to sustain a title challenge until the closing weeks of the season, he won't be quite as happy with the way in which Manchester City are utilising the talents of young Adam Johnson. The football odds indicate City will mount a title challenge, but the young winger hasn't been given much of an opportunity to be part of it.

Johnson made a flying start to his career at City after moving from Middlesbrough a year ago and it initially seemed that those who doubted how wise the move was, with the club investing heavily in star names along with the likes of Johnson, would be silenced sooner rather than later.

However, since then, with the likes of James Milner adding another dimension to the City midfield and with the experienced David Silva providing the sort of pace and injection of cutting edge up front and along the wings that Johnson is also able to provide, Johnson's opportunities have been limited, despite cries from the terraces demanding Roberto Mancini to give the youngster a chance. In the future, England's hopes of upsetting the football betting and winning a major tournament will be down to players like Johnson, and they need experience at the highest level.

With City apparently unwilling to let the player go out on loan, let alone leave the club for good, and the player also thought to be keen to secure a future at Eastlands, England fans will just be hoping that Mancini puts faith in youth at the club sooner rather than later.

England to face Danes

2010-12-21T09:43:00.000Z

England have announced their first international of 2011 will be against Denmark in Copenhagen on Wednesday February 9th. The game will be a warm-up for England before their Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales at the end of March. The Parken Stadium in the Danish capital will offer similar conditions to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as both grounds have retractable roofs.

It will be the first match between the two countries since 2005, when the Danes ran out comfortable 4-1 winners at the same ground. The game was remembered for a disastrous second-half performance from David James, who came replaced Paul Robinson at half-time and had a shocker.

England have made a decent start to their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign and are second in Group G, behind Montenegro. The public feeling against the national side is still a bit sore following the dreadful World Cup campaign and a strong 2011 will be crucial to regaining the full backing of the public again.

England's last match was the friendly against France in November in which they lost 2-1 following a limp display from a much changed side. Fabio Capello handed debuts to Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson and Newcastle's Andy Carroll during the France game and the youngsters may be given another chance to impress for the national side in Denmark in a game the football betting suggests the visitors should win.

Denmark had their own disappointing World Cup in South Africa, failing to qualify from the group stage. Their manager Morten Olsen recently signed a contract extension till the end of the 2012 tournament. They have started their qualifying tournament in similar mixed fashion to the English and find themselves third in an intimidating looking Group H.

This next two years will determine whether Capello leaves a legacy of success rather than the most expensive flop in England management history. A confident and assured display against the Danish will set the tone for the rest of the year and on into the all important European Championships in 2012. It will also give some fringe players the chance to really put themselves firmly in Capello's plans.

Meanwhile, the Portsmouth betting tips suggest the club could be in for another tough season.

They were relegated after entering administration last term, and they are struggling again in the Championship.

England's future looks bright

2010-12-06T13:33:00.000Z

It hasn't been a great week for England football fans. Denied the chance to host the 2018 World Cup despite Sky Sports News getting the nation's hopes up in the days and hours leading up to the failed bid by telling us all how the "momentum" was firmly with the English bid, it seemed like Premier League fans would be keen to push any thought of the England team out of their minds over the weekend.

However, two performances from a couple of English players not yet established as crucial parts of Fabio Capello's starting line-up have handed England fans reason to be optimistic ahead of the next round of international fixtures.

Saturday afternoon saw Chelsea's plans to overcome their recent struggles and retake the lead at the top of the table undone in ruthless style by Leighton Baines, whose runs down the left wing tormented a fragile and uninspired opposition. The Chelsea betting suggested they would win, but they never looked in control.

Baines is a master at turning defence into attack and almost single-handedly pulled Everton back into the game after they slipped behind at Stamford Bridge. His break forward and pinpoint cross for Jermaine Beckford's equaliser was of the highest quality and ultimately the Everton man proved to Capello that, although Ashley Cole may be one of the best left backs in the world at the moment, there is young talent coming through. Anyone who has placed a Premier League bet on Everton will have been impressed by what they saw.

Meanwhile, at the Stadium of Light, Jordan Henderson was proving to Capello that he's more than deserving of a second chance in an England shirt after a fairly disappointing debut. Henderson's goal proved crucial to the end result but it was his general play in midfield, whether that was breaking up West Ham's possession or instigating an attack forward along with the likes of Danny Welbeck and Asamoah Gyan, that allowed the Sunderland man to prove yet again how crucial he is to his club.

Henderson will now hope that he can avoid the fate suffered by Kieron Richardson, who has excelled at club football level but has never really made an impact on the international scene. Whether Henderson is able to achieve such a difficult transformation remains to be seen but the signs are certainly good for those England fans looking forward.

What next for England and Capello?

2010-11-30T19:29:00.004Z

What next for England and Capello?

Coming off the back of another World Cup failure, you would have thought Fabio Capello would have learnt his lesson. Ever since the humiliation at the hands of the Germans, Capello has insisted he will blood youngsters into the team in order to have a chance of being world champions in four years time. A few games later and we couldn’t be further away from ruling the world.

Another defeat against France has really put the pressure back on the England manager but to be fair he doesn’t help himself when it comes to that. Strange selections and tactics have left people wondering if this is the same manager who has had so much success at club level.

People have started to question his ability and that has started to show as the national side seem to be losing their reputation on the international stage.

The three lions are going backwards and many fans have lost faith and started to turn their backs on the national side in order to concentrate on their clubs sides that show more passion and determination to succeed.

There are obviously more rewards in the domestic game but it should be an honour and a pleasure to play for your country. The players don’t show the pride and hunger to want to play for England and the fans have started to see that. How to eradicate this slump I hear you ask?

We HAVE to bring in a successful English manager to inject English tactics and options that are familiar with the players. We need to show more aggression and pace that we see week in week out in the Premier League.

Foreign managers just don’t understand the way we like to play football. We want to get stuck in and impose ourselves on the game and an English manager would communicate better with his troops which is one of the failures of Capello.

Playing players in their correct positions would help. Steven Gerrard off the striker is the prime example. How long will it take Capello to understand, he watches him enough in the league so why can’t he see he performs better off a lone striker.

Failing to reward Scott Parker and Kevin Davies’ current form with an England cap for the game against France was a farce. After a striker shortage, Davies was needed but instead he went for Jay Bothroyd who is a Championship player and Carlton Cole who is nowhere near England quality.

Parker has single handled earned precious points for West Ham this season and deserves a chance as Michael Carrick and Gareth Barry are too slow and seem to give the ball away so cheaply in the middle of the field.

It’s nice to see youngsters finally getting the chance to pull on their new footbal kits. They inject pace, enthusiasm and passion into the side which is something the fans love.

This is the way to go but can Capello get the best out of them, I’m not so sure. Until the national side can appoint a manager who can motivate and use the right tactics, England will suffer and will continue to become the laughing stock of international football.

Carroll can help England get back to basics

2010-11-30T13:10:00.003Z

As an England fan there hasn’t been much to cheer about in recent months. The dismal World Cup has been quickly followed by a stuttering start to their EURO 2012 qualifying campaign and then a disappointing 2-1 friendly defeat to France.

But in that game there was a ray of light that pointed towards England’s future. Andy Carroll made a promising debut and has given Fabio Capello a steady peg to build his team around.

Those who only followed the live match score might note be aware that he showed some decent touches and worried the French centre halves both in the ground and in the air, giving England an option they haven’t had in a while.

Ever since Brazil won the World Cup in 1970 England have been obsessed with trying to emulate that style of play, seeing the traditional English ‘up-and-at-em’ style as stale and out dated.

But the problem is – we are nothing like Brazil, play nothing like them and so trying to copy them will only end in tears. Its time to get back to basics and play to our strengths.

English football is at its best when they press for every ball, get in the opponents faces and then break with lightning speed. They also play at their best with a target man upfront.

Emile Heskey bravely filled that role for nearly a decade, though his sheer number of England caps reflects a desperate lack of other options.

Heskey brought the best out of players around him, like Wayne Rooney and previously Michael Owen. But his inability to finish meant he was always a passenger. When following the live football scores, you never really expect Heskey’s name to flash up do you?

Carroll is all round a better player. He is great with his back to goal – effectively filling the ‘Heskey role’ but also has a rasping shot on him and is dangerous in the air.

With promising wingers like Adam Johnson and Ashley Young beginning to find their feet at International level the potential is there to build a potent attack around Carroll, with Johnson and Young on the wings and Rooney playing just behind.

Maybe the future isn’t so grim after all?

England lose at home to France

2010-11-18T18:36:00.002Z

1-2 not good!

England man Johnson set for Italy move?

2010-11-18T09:53:00.000Z

England full-back Glen Johnson is a man who hasn't always enjoyed life in the Premier League. After making his debut for West Ham United in 2003, he attracted the attention of Chelsea and became the first arrival at Stamford Bridge following the revolution instigated by Roman Abramovich. He experienced a mixed spell with the Blues but was soon pushed out of the first team by Paulo Ferreira and Geremi, with Jose Mourinho perhaps unconvinced of the player's credentials and consistency. A humiliating incident involving a "stolen" toilet seat from a B&Q store also increased the negative press surrounding the player.

Happier times came for Johnson at Portsmouth, a club of a size that seemed to suit the player slightly more than the league champions, and he was included in the PFA team of the year at the end of the 2008/2009 season. However, a move to Liverpool brought an end to the decent relationship between Johnson and the Pompey fans. By this time He'd already earned his first England cap, but it took a little longer for him to cement his place in the side.

Johnson's time with the Reds started brightly, with a stunning performance against Stoke preceding another decent performance against Bolton. However, injury problems plagued his time at Anfield after that spell and, since his return, he has quite clearly failed to impress Roy Hodgson, with the Liverpool boss stating that it's no good being a "player of great ability if you are not bringing that to the field of play".

With the player since hitting back at the beleaguered Liverpool boss by branding his tactics and approach to the game as "boring", it would appear that the Johnson's future lies away from Anfield and perhaps even away from the Premier League. By now he had become England's first-choice right-back, but his poor form at Liverpool has led to many questioning that decision.

Of course, the football betting tips suggest the whole Liverpool squad should be doing better, but Hodgson clearly feels Johnson has been particularly poor.

Another unsettled figure at Anfield, Alberto Aquilani has since found form at Juventus in Serie A and the midfielder has stated that he would love to see the player make the move to Italy and because of this, the football transfer rumours have started.

With Aquilani apparently desperate not to make a return to Anfield, with his loan move not yet made permanent, it seems clear that sometimes the grass really is greener elsewhere. Whether a switch abroad will help develop Johnson into the kind of international player England fans dream about remains to be seen, but right now things couldn't get much worse for him.

Is Andy Carroll really good enough to play for England?

2010-11-09T09:56:00.000Z

When it was first suggested Andy Carroll was ready for a place in the senior England squad, most people laughed off the claims.

They were seen as a reaction to England's failure at the World Cup and a number of solid performances from the striker, rather than an acknowledgement of the quality of the Newcastle man.

However, nearly three months into the 2010/2011 Premier League season, has this changed? If your name is Arsene Wenger, then yes. On Sunday his Arsenal side were undone by a moment of physical dominance from the young Newcastle striker, with his header diverting the ball past a helpless Lukasz Fabianski. Wenger has since stated that the player's "presence, charisma, confidence" and intelligence, alongside his rapid improvement, make him the ideal addition to the England set-up at the moment. Some may even view him as a good outside Premier League bet for top scorer this season.

With Fabio Capello watching on from the stands, Carroll grabbed his chance to shine on the biggest stage with both hands. Already thriving on the confidence inspired by his hat-trick against Aston Villa earlier this season, the player showed once again why he is worthy of being viewed as a regular future England player.

However, although the young man would undoubtedly offer Capello's men something different up front, with the player combining height and a dominant physical presence Peter Crouch is unable to replicate, controversy is a word that currently seems to be following Carroll around like a bad smell. He has made a number of court appearances this season, has had to move in with Kevin Nolan as part of his bail terms, has had his car torched, and has been the subject of fresh newspaper allegations just this week.

After the whole Wayne Rooney fiasco, the last thing that Capello will want is to introduce another player who courts controversy into his attacking line-up. The one thing the England camp needs right now is stability, with many blaming off-field distractions for the country's miserable World Cup 2010 campaign. Whether Carroll can help to introduce that element of stability and calm remains doubtful and that could yet be the one aspect of his game that sees him go unacknowledged by the England manager.

However, if Carroll can clean up his act and continue to improve on the impressive trajectory he's so far been following, it's surely only a matter of time before he can make his mark in an England shirt.

Meanwhile, the Middlesbrough betting suggests Newcastle's neighbours will not be making a return to the Premier League any time soon.

The club were favourites to win the Championship, but are currently in the relegation places.

Should Wilshere join up with the England senior squad?

2010-10-28T13:27:00.002+01:00

Jack Wilshere is a player who has had to deal with shooting to fame in a relatively short space of time. A solid performer while on loan at Bolton from Arsenal, Wilshere has broken into the Arsenal first team this season, stealing the limelight away from more established players in most games and showing Arsene Wenger exactly why he can be realistically touted as the ideal replacement for influential captain Cesc Fabregas if and when he leaves for Barcelona. Wilshere will have another chance to prove what he can do in the Premier League in just over a week, and he should impress in a game the Birmingham betting tips suggest the Gunners will win comfortably.

Still, his performances for Arsenal have already caught the eye of Fabio Capello, who is currently preparing his England team for what could be a potential banana skin of against Montenegro at Wembley, and one important decision the England boss will have to get right is whether or not to play Wilshere in the upcoming Euro 2012 qualifier. The football odds suggest the Three Lions should win, but with injuries to key players they could struggle to create chances.

The problem lies in the fact that Arsenal's precocious young talent has been double booked; he is set to feature for the under-21s later today when they take on Romania at Carrow Road in a European Championship play-off, but has also been included in the senior squad. Capello now needs to decide how best to develop a player who could turn out to be a key cog in the England set-up for many years to come.

Stuart Pearce has admitted that it's a tricky balancing act for the young players and is right when he says "if they are not going to play, leave them in the age group where they can actually play 90 minutes". However, Wilshere is a different kettle of fish to other youngsters who perhaps don't have the same level of Premier League and Champions League experience.

If Capello overlooks the youngster for the Montenegro game and England end up struggling to find that deft touch and creativity in midfield that Arsenal fans know Wilshere can provide consistently, criticism will surely be directed towards the England boss. Whatever decision he ends up making, England fans will hope that it turns out to be one that boosts their chances of securing another qualifying win in what has so far been an impressive campaign.

Capello must right his wrongs on the left

2010-10-19T11:27:00.002+01:00

For anyone with a memory of England's recent past the current obsession with playing left-footed players on the right and vice versa appears a little bit odd to say the least. The theory is that the players can drift inside on to their favoured foot, giving them the option of a strike at goal.

However the tactic isn't without its drawbacks and to see Fabio Capello jump on the bandwagon is somewhat disturbing and anyone who likes a football daily bet should pay close attention to it.

For years England fans cried out for a genuine left-footed winger who could beat his, get to the by-line and deliver quality crosses.

Steve McManaman, Darren Anderton and Kieron Dyer all piked up numerous caps, not necessarily because of their outstanding individual ability, but because England managers felt they might be able to do a job on the left.

And once we'd become tired of playing right-footed players on the left, we went right back to basics and gave Steve Guppy and Jason Wilcox a try. In fact, for a while, it seemed that so long as you were English and had a decent left foot, you could be pretty sure you'd get a cap.

In last week's game, Montenegro manager Zlatko Kranjcar came to Wembley with the sole aim of grabbing a point, and the simple plan of packing the midfield and defence in order to do so.

This made Capello's refusal to get at Montenegro down the flanks even more surprising, especially considering the aerial prowess and movement of Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch.

Without a decent supply, Rooney was forced to drop deep to come look for the ball, leaving his strike partner isolated and further compacting the England midfield, something which forced Gerrard to pick the ball up off his defenders, and led to Barry being squeezed out of the game almost entirely. Anyone who placed a football bet on a home win would have been furious.

England fans expect them to beat teams ranked 40th in the world, but as football evolves and the so-called lesser teams become better organised, we shouldn't expect to run riot based on our reputation. If England want to qualify for Euro 2012 this is a fact Capello could do with remembering.

England fail to impress

2010-10-14T11:09:00.000+01:00

England once again suffered the indignity of being booed off the pitch by their own fans, after huffing and puffing to a goalless draw against Montenegro. It wasn't just the lack of a victory that will have bothered the England supporters, but the toothless display by the team. There was more than a passing resemblance to the uninspiring performances shown at the World Cup this summer, as England failed to put together more than three passes at a time and created very few chance of any note in a game the Betfairfootball odds suggested they'd win easily.

The only players to come out of the match with any credit at all were Steven Gerrard, Ashley Young, Adam Johnson and Joe Hart. Gerrard once again showed why he should be given the England captaincy ahead of Rio Ferdinand. The Liverpool skipper tried time and time again to inject some sort of life into his side, only for his colleagues to clumsily give away possession. Gerrard should have been made England captain when Beckham stepped down from the role, as the midfielder is the only player in the current squad who can grab a game by the scruff of the neck and single handily change the outcome. Although Ferdinand didn't have a poor game against Montenegro, he was hardly the inspirational leader that England need.

Johnson and Young switched flanks well and caused Montenegro a few problems, without ever really finding the finishing product. Villa's Young looked lively but still looks a bit away from being international class player, although it's no surprise the transfer rumours have linked him with a move to a big club. Johnson once again showed himself to be one of this country's most exciting prospects but was given no real support from his team-mates.

Glen Johnson once again showed a dangerous lack of any positional sense and was guilty of going walkabout on more than one occasion, leaving massive holes on the right hand side of England's defensive line. Joleon Lescott came into replace the injured Terry and did what he had to without too much fuss, although the Man City man doesn't inspire anywhere near the same confidence as the Chelsea captain.
The less said about Wayne Rooney's latest disappointing performance, the better. The striker once again looked a completely different player from the one who scored 40 goals in all competitions last season and nothing he tried came off.

Capello will be looking at the friendly arranged for next month against France as another chance to experiment with his side, before the next round of Euro qualifiers start in the spring.

Montenegro get a nil - nil draw at Wembley

2010-10-13T19:38:00.001+01:00

Rooney's expression says it all....

Rooney's chance to shine

2010-10-08T11:10:00.002+01:00

Should Wayne Rooney be fit to play for England against Montenegro next Tuesday, it may be the perfect opportunity for the Manchester United striker to finally put the negative headlines behind him and instead start doing what he does best - finding the back of the net with vital goals for both club and country.

With the Betfair Football tips suggesting Montenegro are likely to provide a stern test to a Fabio Capello side that will be missing several top players through injury, Rooney's presence may be the lift that some of the younger members of the squad such as Adam Johnson and Joe Hart require to give them the belief that they can fulfil the incredibly high expectations that England fans set for their side. Anyone who has placed a football daily bet on England to win want to see the striker firing on all cylinders.

With the crowd likely to be despondent if England aren't leading by the break, Rooney needs to show that he is alert and creating chances on a regular basis in the first 45 minutes and, if he does so, hopefully he can inspire the crowd to get behind him with chants of "Rooney, Rooney".

However, should Wayne once again fall flat this season, then fans will perhaps start to ask the question as to whether he really is still a world-class player or if he is a good player who has been performing at a level he won't be able to reach again, something that Rooney will be desperate to disprove.

With this in mind, a good performance that silences doubters and puts positive headlines back on the tabloids' back pages would do both Rooney and the England team the world of good.

Who's next on the chopping block?

2010-09-13T10:33:00.000+01:00

With Fabio Capello announcing he will retire from management, the hunt is on for his successor. The general consensus is that the FA have to pick an English manager to succeed him. The usual suspects are already being lined up for the job, which ranks as one of football's most pressurised positions. The position is pretty much a poisoned chalice and although England have won nothing for more than 40 years, anything less than success and the boss is slaughtered by the press and public.

Despite this pressure, it still ranks as one of the most attractive jobs in football. Aside from the humongous contracts that the FA hands out, the chance to coach some of the most talented players in the world is an opportunity few turn down. The fact is that none of the recent national team bosses have managed to make this team click when it matters and pundits like Betfair Football Andy Gray know that's what counts in the end.

The biggest thing about coaching England has to be the ability to motivate the talented squad. The team has enough talent but needs a manager to get them believing in themselves. The England job doesn't need a master tactician; it needs the type of school coach that got these players psyched up for matches when they were 12, 13, and 14. When this England team start enjoying the pressure of playing for their country rather than folding under it, then they will have a chance of challenging the world's best.

Harry Redknapp, Sam Allardyce and Stuart Pearce have all been linked to the job and all have the power to motivate in bucket loads. Allardyce and Redknapp have been linked with the job for years now but will have their best chance when Capello steps down. Both managers would come with a bit of baggage and that may make them less attractive.

Pearce looks to have been groomed for the job for a few years now. He has been a part of the national team coaching set-up for a few years along with his role as Under-21 boss. He would be a pretty good choice for the job, the players and fans both have plenty of respect for Pearce. His domestic managerial experience hasn't been a massive success but he has done a good job in his England roles and could prove to be a good choice should the FA choose him.

Until then Capello has the chance to leave a legacy in this country if he manages to bring success in Euro 2012 in what will be his swansong.

Meanwhile, the Fulham betting tips suggest the side will struggle to finish in the top half this season.

However, the team did enjoy a good win over Wolves at the weekend.

Will England chants come back to haunt Tottenham?

2010-09-10T10:55:00.000+01:00

Tottenham Hotspur fans have often proudly (and very smugly) chanted "England" at their North London rivals Arsenal in mockery of the fact that the Gunners have a squad made up almost entirely of foreign stars, compared to a Spurs squad that is heavily reliant upon its English contingent.

However, following England's recent European Championship qualification matches, these same fans may wish that they had considerably fewer England stars in their side's starting line-up. With Michael Dawson now out for two months, and Jermain Defoe set to be absent for longer, Spurs are now having to face the fact they will have to do without two of their key men for a good chunk of what is arguably their most challenging season in the Premier League, and their first campaign in the Champions League. The football predictions suggest they will struggle to make a massive impact this season.

With Harry Redknapp already short of defensive options due to the persistent injury problems that both Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King experience, he will now be relying upon ex-Arsenal defender William Gallas, a man with a recent injury record that does not make good reading for Spurs fans, to help guide his side through some tough fixtures on the horizon.

Despite the loss of Dawson being a big blow, the absence of Defoe may be even more painful for the Tottenham boss. Defoe had appeared to be moving beyond his traditional role of a straight up poacher, and instead looked to be completing a long-awaited transformation into a complete striker capable of leading the line. However, with his current injury appearing to be one that could well linger, Spurs fans may have to wait a while longer before they are able to see whether this transformation is able to reach its final stages.

Meanwhile, the Newcastle betting suggests the north-east side should pick up another three points this weekend.

Young striker Andy Carroll will be looking to bag more goals as he looks to stake his claim for an England place.

Switzerland beaten 1-3 by England

2010-09-08T08:42:00.005+01:00

England top of the group after 2 games!

England training pictures ahead of the Switzerland Match

2010-09-07T13:27:00.001+01:00

Attention focused on Wayne Rooney after stories were published on Sunday about his private life.

England 4 Bulgaria 0 pictures

2010-09-04T07:57:00.002+01:00

Defoe hat-trick, new kit, convincing win...... good start to the campaign.

Will the home grown rule really boost the England team?

2010-08-17T11:58:00.000+01:00

This season has seen the introduction of the new home grown rule in the Premier League, a decision that has changed the dynamics of the transfer market and will almost certainly impact upon the quality of Premier League football.

Having responded to the xenophobia of the tabloid press, Richard Scudmore and the other Premier League bosses may need to be reminded of the reason the Premier League has become one of, if not the, best leagues in the world - a blend of technical proficiency mixed with high-tempo matches.

With this combination being provided by the technical ability of players such as Cesc Fabregas, Mikel Arteta, and Nani, foreign players have helped to increase the talent required for aspiring footballers to make it in the top tier. However, with the English national side providing yet another underwhelming performance in a competition (although at least they qualified for this one), the transfer market has been thrown into chaos with the introduction of the home grown rule. The Betfair specialists have certainly been surprised by some deals as top sides look to snatch young English talent wherever they can find it.

Despite the fact England failed to succeed at international level before the increase in foreign players plying their trade in the Premier League, and the FA's failure to introduce a national academy to support youngsters in their development, footballing chiefs have now decided that it is the increase in competition for places, rather than a lack of support for youth development, that has caused the national team to flounder.

When you consider the fact many people make Bolton betting tips for relegation every season, it's hard not to sympathise with a manager who picks an experienced overseas defender over a young English player - he has to select a winning team.

Relegation for teams such as Bolton would be catastrophic, while for Arsenal not making the Champions League would also be a disaster, so it is perhaps wiser to look at the fact that managers can't afford to play to the press and blood untested, expensive, and perhaps not as talented English youngsters in the Premier League.

England 2 Hungary 1 pictures

2010-08-12T18:52:00.002+01:00

Hungary take the lead with a "goal" which did not cross the line, another instance to debate goal line technology after the last game v Germany. Both of which England have been on the wrong side of, so if these things even themselves out.......

Match recovered by 2 great goals from Captain Gerrard.

Capello plans for the future

2010-08-09T10:58:00.000+01:00

Fabio Capello has named his first England squad since his team flopped so spectacularly at this summer's World Cup and there is a new look about things going into the friendly against Hungary.

Three of Arsenal’s young English players have made the cut, Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshire for the first time. Theo Walcott returns to the squad after being missing out on a trip to South Africa. Another player who was cut from the squad ahead of the World Cup was Manchester City winger Adam Johnson. The young winger will be hoping to cement himself in the England team after being included this time around.

Darren Bent finished last season as the second top scoring Englishman in the league, behind Wayne Rooney, but it wasn't enough to book his ticket to South Africa. Capello has given the Sunderland man another chance to impress by handing him a recall. Fulham's Bobby Zamora was unlucky to miss out on being selected for the World Cup. If it wasn't for an injury to his achilles heel at the end of last season, Zamora would have been in South Africa this summer. His chance has come now and he gets his first call up to the national squad, you can follow how he gets on with Betfairfootball.

Ashley Young's form for Aston Villa last season has earned him a recall, while Birmingham's new stopper Ben Foster is also in there. After his World Cup blunder Rob Green has been left out of the squad, perhaps a little harshly. David James' hopes that his international career would continue after his move to Bristol City in the Championship appear to have diminished with his exclusion.

Everton's Phil Jagielka and Bolton's Gary Cahill will battle it out with Michael Dawson of Spurs, to partner John Terry in defence, with fans from Bolton betting on their man getting the nod. All three will be looking to replace Rio Ferdinand and Ledley King, who both suffered injuries in South Africa.

Of those who flopped so badly this summer, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard John Terry, Ashley Cole, Gareth Barry and Steven Gerrard have all kept their place in the squad. Surprisingly Jermain Defoe and Joe Cole are left out, a somewhat strange decision after Defoe's performance in the summer.

The squad has an exciting look to it and Capello seems to have listened calls for a fresh approach. Jack Wilshire is one of the most gifted players in a generation. Blooding him at international level at this young age will give him some valuable experience which will pay off in the future.

Germany 4 England 1 pictures and comment

2010-06-28T13:10:00.002+01:00

At 2-1 down England score a goal which is not seen by the linesman or ref. The same linesman who gave Rooney offside incorrectly when clear through on goal, as he received the ball from a German. This latter point doesn't seem to have been discussed on the TV to my knowledge. Was that linesman competent???

England Slovenia pictures

2010-06-24T07:47:00.002+01:00

England win 1-0 and qualify in second place and remain undefeated. Next match - Germany on Sunday!

Pre Slovenia match pictures and what England need to do

2010-06-23T09:41:00.004+01:00

Here's the "low down". England win they progress to the next round. Whether they finish top or second will depend on the result of the USA v Algeria game. If USA and Algeria draw and England v Slovenia is a draw England can progress if they score at least 3 more goals than USA on the day. E.g. Eng 3 v Slo 3 and USA 0 v Alg 0. In the event of 2 more goals on the day compared to USA, I believe the team which progresses out of USA and England will be decided by a "lucky draw" tombola style. So 3-0 at half time to England please.....

England 0-0 Algeria

2010-06-19T08:29:00.002+01:00

Second draw in the finals, not the result that England fans were expecting. The 2 princes in attendance as well! Rooney commenting on live TV at the booing as England left the pitch. Here are some pictures.... things can only get better... (?)

England v USA pictures

2010-06-13T08:18:00.002+01:00

A bit of a disappointing start.....

Platinum Stars 0 - 3 England - Pictures

2010-06-08T07:00:00.002+01:00

Warm up game against South African Premier League Team. Goals from Defoe, Joe Cole and Rooney.

Ferdinand injury makes Gerrard Captain!

2010-06-04T19:07:00.003+01:00

An injury to Ferdinand means Gerrard is now the England Captain. Some related photos / pictures.

England Squad for South Africa

2010-06-01T16:12:00.003+01:00

The England Squad for the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).

Defenders: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).

Forwards: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

UPDATE: Michael Dawson (Tottenham) to replace Rio Ferdinand.

The omission of Theo Walcott being the biggest surprize. Here is a photo from the qualifiers where his most significant contribution was a hat trick in Zagreb v Croatia in a 1-4 win.

Japan v England pictures

2010-05-30T17:18:00.002+01:00

A 2-1 win for England with both the England goals being own goals. Played in Austria.

England v Mexico in pictures

2010-05-25T07:51:00.003+01:00

Last home game before the 2010 World Cup Finals

Mexican wave v Mexico!

England training pictures in Austria

2010-05-20T09:46:00.002+01:00

Altitude training as part of World Cup 2010 Finals preparation.

England 3 Egypt 1

2010-03-04T07:32:00.002Z

There seemed to be a lot of hype before the match surrounding how good Egypt were and how much of a test this friendly would be for the England team ahead of the World Cup finals. It seemed justified hype when Egypt took the lead. If England are to be real contenders to win the World Cup a home game versus Egypt should not be viewed as a problematic fixture! The 3 second half goals (Crouch 2, Wright-Phillips 1) ensured it wasn't. Here are some pictures of the match which gives us the first fixture in the new away kit.

This last picture is not too complementary to the 2 scorers!

New England away kit 2010 - 2012 stolen

2010-02-20T06:39:00.002Z

Some of the new England away kits for 2010 - 2012, potentially the design which will be worn when the world cup is lifted in South Africa have been stolen.

This shows the potential intest in the kit which will not be on general sale until the Eygpt game in March.

Draw for Euro 2012

2010-02-07T11:10:00.007Z

England are in pot 1 and seeded along with Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, France and Russia.

England are in Group G and will play Switzerland, Bulgaria, Montenegro and WALES.

SoccerPro Jerseys for Life

2010-02-07T09:19:00.002Z

Please see this message we were sent from SoccerPro:

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John Terry Captain Poll

2010-02-07T09:12:00.000Z

Should John Terry been stripped of England Captain job?(survey)

2010 World Cup Draw

2009-12-07T08:17:00.004Z

So England will play USA (12/6/10) Rustenburg, Algeria (18/6/10) Cape Town and Slovenia (23/6/10) Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth in Group C at the World Cup in South Africa.

Assuming England top Group C they will play the runners up of Group D, which could be Germany, Australia, Ghana or Serbia. After that England would play the winners of Group A or runner up of Group B, which is where the likes of France and Argentina are......

England are seeded in the draw for world Cup 2010

2009-12-02T16:56:00.002Z

England are seeded and in pot 1 as below. There is nothing too scary in pot 2 or pot 3, please comment if you see it differently. Pot 4 could provide some interesting knock out stage matches for England e.g. v France or Portugal.

Pot 1 (seeds): South Africa (group A), Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain

Pot 2: Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Honduras, Mexico, USA, New Zealand

Pot 3: Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay

Pot 4: Denmark, France, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland

Brazil 1 England 0 at the Khalifa Stadium

2009-11-16T16:22:00.001Z

......was a lack lustre match where the England "B team" hopefuls could have shone to stake the claim for a place on the plane to South Africa. On an optimistic note it is better to loose this friendly than the World Cup final to Brazil in 2010!

England 3 Belarus 0

2009-10-15T17:27:00.002+01:00

An easy win with Crouch getting 2 goals and SWP getting 1. Crouch keeps up an impressive strike rate for England, although it would seem always against the lesser footballing nations. It creates healthy competition for places which must be a good thing ahead of the World Cup Finals in 2010. David Beckham curiously won man of the match having come on as sub and only played 31 mins, a political point being made for his inclusion in the squad for South Africa???

England loose 100% record in Ukraine

2009-10-11T07:47:00.003+01:00

The final score being 1-0 to Ukraine, a result which wasn't helped by Robert Green's sending off after 13 mins. I can't help wondering if this result would have occured if England hadn't already qualified - a debating piont for sure.

England 5 Croatia 1 World Cup Qualification for South Africa Complete

2009-09-10T17:14:00.003+01:00

We are suffering from some picture problems, our normal source is failing....

This was a great result and really sends out a strong message to the World's top teams. And inspires genuine confidence in Englands chances of winning the World Cup in South Africa, bring it on!

World Cup 2010 ticket information

2009-09-07T16:34:00.002+01:00

If England beat Croatia on Wednesday they are assured qualification for South Africa 2010. Here are some intersting ticketing facts:

> 20000 fans are estimated to start booking hotels and flights once qualification is assured.

> A seven game ticket package via the FA will cost £752-1663.

> 42907 "ramdom game" tickets have already been sold to UK addresses.

> The FA will only get a 10% allocation for each game.

England 2 v Slovenia 1

2009-09-07T16:28:00.002+01:00

They say that iffy penalty decisions even themselves out over a season, well not wanting to tempt fate but Wayne Rooney's penalty decission was poor at best. Indeed before that Robert Green was lucky not to be spotted handling the ball outside his area. On a positive note Defoe cannot seem to stop scoring and is the hot team selection talking point before the Croatia game. Surely he must start the game!

Holland 2 England 2 Pictures

2009-08-13T17:35:00.003+01:00

A Jermain Defoe double earns England a draw. In the past would England have recovered a 2-0 deficit away against a top team???

A moving tribute to Bobby Robson.

Old enemy awaits as England prepare for final

2009-06-29T11:38:00.003+01:00

For many Premier League footballers today marks the start of pre-season, the painful few weeks where the brief excesses of their holidays come back to haunt them as running, drills and fitness tests await. However, for the England Under-21 side last season has yet to finish, the latest sign of the all year-round nature of the modern football calendar. I doubt you will hear many dissenting voices among Stuart Pearce’s young charges though as their final game of the 2008/09 season is the European Under-21 Championship final against, who else, but Germany.

It is perhaps fitting that after finally banishing one big tournament hoodoo – the semi-final penalty shoot-out – another arch nemesis lies in wait in the final. They have already met in the Championships of course, when a much changed England side earned a 1-1 draw thanks to Jack Rodwell’s header. Expect a different team to take to the field in the final, though England will be hurt by the suspensions of Gabriel Agbonlahor, Fraizer Campbell and Joe Hart.

The opposition has certainly added more spark to the occasion and to kick off the mind games ahead of kick-off Germany have chosen to wear their red away strip despite being designated as the home team – we all know what happened the last time England wore red against Germany in a major final.

Boss Pearce has remained focused throughout, refusing to get carried away with England’s progression, something we are all guilty of when watching England compete in major tournaments. He barely celebrated when victory was sealed against Sweden; instead he switched his attentions immediately to Monday’s clash with the old enemy. Perhaps spurred on by his previous encounters – and eventual defeats – against Germany, Pearce’s level of focus should ensure his young charges do not get carried away with themselves. Maybe the shock of conceding a 3-0 lead in the semi-final gave them a stern reminder not to take anything for granted.

England have blown hot and cold in this tournament, ranging from the superb to the sloppy. They know what they will get against Germany: organisation, aggression and no little skill, but if England perform like we know they can there is no reason why they cannot go on and claim the trophy for the third time in their history, bringing their long 2008/09 campaign to a successful conclusion.

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England under-21s ready for challenge

2009-06-15T11:07:00.001+01:00

While their senior colleagues jet off on their holidays after a job well done last week England’s youngsters are in Sweden preparing for the Under-21 European Championship.
There seems to be more interest in the competition this year, I think partly down to the brave effort of the side in the last European Championships two years ago.

Then, after an gruelling match with hosts and eventual winners Holland, Stuart Pearce’s side took part in one of the most epic penalty shootouts I have ever seen. The sight of an injured Steven Taylor limping up to the spot and burying his penalty I brought back visions of Stuart Pearce against Spain in Euro 96. But sadly for me and England Anton Ferdinand’s miss brought back memories of Chris Waddle in 1990 and the side crashed out agonisingly 13-12 on penalties.

The side may have changed since then but it is still packed full of talent determined to erase the memories of that night. Micah Richards, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Theo Walcott have all had senior caps while James Milner is the most experienced England Under-21 players of all time with 42 caps. Kieran Gibbs came on leaps and bounds to wards the end of the season, finishing he year as first choice left back for Arsenal while Jack Rodwell at Everton has been labelled the next Rio Ferdinand.

They have a tough group with Finland, Germany and Spain all waiting, but I see no reason why they can’t progress in the tournament. Experiences of big matches is vital to these players development – manager Stuart Pearce has already suggested that if the team is to win it they will have to win on penalties somewhere down the line. How we could do with a penalty shoot-out win given our past experiences!

Many of the players will also have their eye on a place in the squad for next years World Cup. This is their chance to show they can perform at the highest level and deserve a place on the plane to South Africa next year whatever their age. If the player can use that motivation and perform as we all know they can, I think they can go all the way.

England 6 Andorra 0

2009-06-11T05:25:00.005+01:00

On a night where travel to and from Wembley was difficult due to the Tube strike, England virtually guaranteed qualification for the World Cup Finals in South Africa in 2010. England are 10 points clear in the table with the nearest teams Croatia and Ukraine only having 4 games remaining and 12 points to play for. In terms of qualification games Croatia (home) and Ukraine (away) are the next fixtures.

Goals came from Rooney 4min, Lampard 29min, Rooney 39min, Defoe 73 and 76min and Crouch 81min. Can anyone remember the England Goalkeeper? ........ Robert Green.

Kazakhstan 0-4 England

2009-06-06T17:54:00.002+01:00

The "tiredness" did not show! With Andorra next this must be qualification in the bag.

England look to end the season in style

2009-06-01T10:18:00.003+01:00

The league and cups may have been decided and we may be into June, but the football season isn’t quite over yet.

Two crucial World Cup qualifiers lie ahead for England – a trip to Kazakhstan on Saturday and the home game with Andorra four days later.

With Fabio Capello’s men five points clear at the top at the halfway stage of qualifying, six points from these fixtures would almost certainly guarantee a place at the 2010 World Cup – especially as two of the final three fixtures are at home.

On paper two wins should not be a problem, these are the two weakest sides in the group. But the Kazakhstan fixture in particular has ‘banana skin’ written all over it.

It’s a long trip for starters, longer than any of the other destinations. The facilities will not be what our pampered Premier League stars are used to and, after a long hard season, fatigue may be a factor.

That long season has already led to a number players pulling out due to injury. The Three Lions are without Michael Carrick, David James, Ben Foster, Phil Jagielka and Stewart Downing. Injuries, of course, offer opportunities for others and the likes of James Milner, Paul Robinson and, most surprisingly, veteran Gary Neville have all earned recalls.

Because of the timing of the fixture and the number of injuries, I don’t expect it to be a classic – England need to just do enough to get the points and get out. It’s very much like a FA Cup tie away at a lower league club, England need to do just enough to avoid a giant-killing.

The home game with Andorra should be a formality, though in the reverse fixture England toiled 45 minutes before finally breaking their stubborn resistance. If England can get an early goal it should open things up for them.

Any slip ups will pile the pressure on their remaining fixtures, against the strongest sides in the group, Belarus, Ukraine and Croatia. I think Capello will be aware of this and will not allow his side to take the game lightly, undoing all their hard work in the first half of the campaign.

I predict that England will not upset the football odds and will record two wins, with plenty of goals against the Andorrans, meaning we can all go on our summer holidays satisfied at a season's work well done.

World Cup 2018 – England’s turn?

2009-05-18T12:43:00.004+01:00

It may be eight years from now but the bidding to host the 2018 World Cup is underway and England launched their bid on Monday, in the spectacular surroundings of Wembley Stadium.
David Beckham will front the bid, rather unsurprisingly. Well-known throughout the world Becks is the obvious choice even though he will be well into his 40s by the time the tournament starts!

Bidding is also taking place simultaneously for the 2022 competition. Given the high level of politics involved in the bidding process I suspect that deals will be made between countries in order to back each other for the respective tournaments.

Already, it is rumoured that the USA’s 2022 bid, fronted by President Barack Obama, will be supported by England in return for their support for 2018 to be held across the Atlantic.

So who are the other contenders bidding for both tournaments?

Well in Europe we have Belgium-Netherlands (joint bid) Portugal-Spain (joint bid) and Russia. Given by 2018 the previous two tournaments won’t have been held in Europe (for the first time ever) it is expected that a European country will get the nod now FIFA’s rotation policy has been scrapped.

England must then be fairly confident of heading the European vote - particularly as FIFA boss Sepp Blatter has said he prefers bids from a single country rather than joint bids, especially when both countries have the ability to host a tournament on their own (Spain and Portugal have both hosted tournaments in the recent past).

With Russia there would be questions about its infrastructure and stadia, though both have made great strides in recent years and would no doubt be improved by 2018.

Outside of Europe we have Australia, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico while Qatar and South Korea are just bidding for the 2022 competition. The main threat would probably be from Australia. The country has developed a new passion for football since the rise of the Socceroos in recent years. A sports mad country anyway, it would certainly have the facilities to host the tournament.

Given my own bias I think it should be England’s turn to host the World Cup. It will have been over 50 years since the World Cup was last here by 2018 and I think that is too long for such a football mad country. We have the facilities in place to host it straight away - we just have to play the political game and make the right noises.

The bidding team have admitted they made mistakes in their failed 2006 bid, with much of the world viewing England as arrogant. I think it will be different this time round. With the successful Olympic bid behind us and the committee having learned from their mistakes I hope by the time the 24-man FIFA committee make their decision in December 2010 we will have done enough to earn their vote.

My World Cup prediction is for England to host the 2018 World Cup and Australia to play host in 2022.

Fingers crossed!

Glenn Johnson stakes his claim

2009-05-04T11:24:00.004+01:00

It’s been a difficult season for Portsmouth, incorporating three managers, European disappointment and a poor run of form that has seen the 2008 FA Cup winners embroiled in a relegation battle.

But a shining light amongst the South Coast gloom has been full-back Glenn Johnson, who finally looks to be realising his enormous potential.

It’s surprising to consider Johnson made his Premier League debut six years ago, though even then it took him no time to adapt to the rigours of top flight football.

But unfortunately for Johnson he came into a West Ham side struggling against relegation - a battle which they would ultimately lose.

But despite the Hammers' relegation Johnson’s performances were good enough to attract the attention of Claudio Ranieri at a newly cash-rich Chelsea, and he became an early piece in Roman’s revolutionary jigsaw.

With Gary Neville’s injury troubles increasing with age, a right-back slot in the England side also emerged and Johnson proved an early contender to replace him.

The move perhaps came too soon for Johnson as a loss of form eventually saw him lose his England place and the Chelsea right-back berth to Paulo Ferreira as the Blues, under Jose Mourinho, swept past all before them.

But Pompey boss Harry Redknapp, always with a keen eye for a bargain, took Johnson to Fratton on a season-long loan in 2007. It proved an inspired move as Johnson, benefiting from regular first-team football, regained his early West Ham form. An FA Cup winner’s medal and a permanent move to Pompey showed that he had finally settled and was beginning to realise his potential.

Despite the upheaval at Fratton Park this season Johnson has upset the football odds by being consistently outstanding and looks to be enjoying his football again, picking up the club’s player of the year award in the process. His form didn’t go unnoticed by new England boss Fabio Capello who has restored Johnson to the England squad and he appears much more at home at International level then he did when he first broke into the side.

It is a big ask to replace such an established and respected fullback as Gary Neville, who played for England for over a decade, but Johnson finally looks like the man to do so.

Jagielka shows international character

2009-04-20T11:36:00.005+01:00

The sight of Everton defender Phil Jagielka tucking away the winning penalty at Wembley was significant, not just for Everton’s FA Cup fortunes, but for what happened at Goodison Park 13 months before.

Back in March 2008 Everton had just played out of their skin against Italian side Fiorentina, but unable to grab the third goal that would secure a 3-2 aggregate win, the game had to be decided on penalties.

Up stepped Jagielka, who had performed immensely again on the night, but the keeper guessed the right way and palmed away the defender's effort. Everton were out and Jagielka faced the long walk back to the halfway line.

That moment must have played on his mind as he walked towards Ben Foster’s goal at Wembley on Sunday. He knew that if he scored his side would triumph, but John Terry also knew that in Moscow and we all know what happened there.

So, the fact Jagielka tucked it away with aplomb proves he has the mental strength to go with undoubted abilities as an international centre-half - which is definitely a boost for Fabio Capello.

He doesn’t make the same mistake twice. Back in December he played a back pass blind towards Tim Howard and failed to spot Ashley Young closing in, the Villa winger tucked the ball home and Jagielka once again wanted the ground to swallow him up.

It’s the sort of mistake that would shatter many players' confidence, but the Everton man responded by performing even better, leading, of course, to an England call-up in February. It is a shame therefore that many people blame Jagielka for the defeat in Spain, when his mistake led to the first goal. Again, it is a moment that can affect a player’s mental strength and confidence, but once again Jagielka retuned to his club and maintained his excellent level of form.

That didn’t go unnoticed by Fabio Capello, who gave him a massive vote of confidence by bringing him on as a late sub against the Ukraine a few weeks ago. The international stage is a tough arena to play in, you can have all the talent in the world but it is worth nothing if you crack under the pressure. I just need to mention the words penalty ‘shoot-out’ to any England fan to prove that.

Jagielka booked a return date to Wembley with his club side on Sunday, and banished the ghosts of Fiorentina to boot. If he continues to show such mental strength and character, it's my football prediction that he will be returning to Wembley a lot more with the three lions.

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Show of character bodes well for England future

2009-04-06T12:28:00.004+01:00

So, as the dust settles on another successful international break we can at least take a tentative look forward to a summer in South Africa.

Reaching the half-way stage of World Cup qualifying with a 100% record is outstanding; especially given most of the games have been away. Home games against Andorra and Belarus should yield three points, while the long trip to Kazakhstan should be fruitful. This means we could afford to lose against Ukraine and Croatia and still qualify.

It is that breathing space that should allow the team to play with more freedom and express themselves. It is when the shackles are lifted like this that players like Rooney and Gerrard come into their own. Rooney in particular was outstanding against Ukraine, and his presence in the team is vital to future success.

What pleased me the most was the character shown by the side after conceding the equaliser. Instead of panicking or losing focus, the team stirred back into action, no more so than captain John Terry, another player who will be central to any success we have in the future. The midfield finally looks to be working, with Gerrard’s license to cut inside from the left giving him more potency, especially when linking up with Rooney.

The only position I am not sure of yet is the goalkeeper. I have to admit I have never been a big fan of David James. He has talent, yes, but he will always make a mistake every now and then and I fear if he keeps playing he will make one at a crucial stage and cost us.

The fact he is unchallenged for the number one spot says something about our goalkeeping situation. Ben Foster looks the most likely to push James at the moment, but with Capello favouring players who are playing regularly for their clubs (just ask Michael Owen) will Foster have to move on to improve his England chances?

The goalkeeping conundrum apart, the team is looking more settled and confident than it has done in several years. I won’t get too excited, I have learnt not to supporting England over the years and making any unrealistic football predictions could be dangerous. But their recent performances, and ability to cope with injuries and adversity, bodes very well for the future.

England Ukraine pictures (2-1)

2009-04-02T17:05:00.002+01:00

England Training pictures ahead of Ukraine Qualifier at Wembley

2009-04-01T16:38:00.003+01:00

David Beckham pictures breaking the record for most out field appearences

2009-03-31T16:43:00.001+01:00

To commemorate breaking the record number of appearences for England as an out field player.

England 4 - 0 Slovakia pictures

2009-03-30T16:56:00.003+01:00

How will England get on? Have your say!

2009-03-23T12:57:00.001Z

How will England get on against Slovakia and Ukraine? ( surveys)

King call-up takes the headlines as latest England squad named.

2009-03-23T11:19:00.004Z

So it’s England time again and boss Fabio Capello has again showed with his latest squad selection that he isn’t afraid to make controversial decisions.

That controversial decision being the selection of Spurs’ injury plagued centre-half Ledley King. King’s talent has never been in question, don’t forget he won his first England cap five years ago, but chronic knee problems mean he can only manage one game a week for Spurs and he barely trains in between.

You can’t really see him coping with the cut and thrust of a major tournament, with a match coming every three days or so. But as Fabio has said, he only picks players who are in form, so if Ledley helps England to two wins in their next two games, it is job done as far as Capello is concerned.

Another new call-up is Everton’s Leighton Baines (who I tipped for a call-up on this site earlier in the year I might add). It may be a surprise for some, but not for Everton fans who have seen the former Wigan man hit a great patch of form in recent weeks alongside Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka, who also received call-ups.

We don’t seem to be blessed with a great deal of left-backs. Ashley Cole is the obvious number one but with Wayne Bridge injured, Baines is far and away the most logical choice behind them.

Another one of my previous blogs on this site discussed the goalkeeping situation, which I think is Fabio Capello’s greatest challenge ahead of the World Cup next year. Many people have seen Ben Foster as the man with the potential to take that number one jersey, with only injury and lack of first-team action preventing him from adding to his sole England cap.

But after his heroics in the Carling Cup final earlier in the month he has been given another chance and I fancy him to start the friendly against Slovakia next Saturday. With David James and Edwin Van Der Sar both approaching 40, I reckon Foster may soon find himself number one for both club and country.