In an ominous outbreak of déjà vu, Sven-Göran Eriksson is contemplating taking players to the World Cup who are not 100% fit. The head coach is again talking of the “special case” scenario that undermined England’s challenge in 2002. Four years ago Eriksson took David Beckham and Kieron Dyer to Japan after they had been given no chance of making it. Dyer, who was initially ruled out by a knee ligament injury, was never fit enough for a full game and Eriksson’s claim that Beckham was 95% fit was an exaggeration that cost England dear when he jumped out of a tackle, enabling Brazil to break away and score the equaliser in the quarter-final in Shizuoka.
It was thought the coach had learnt his lesson, but apparently not well enough. As with Beckham in 2002, Michael Owen is a “special case” this time. With the Newcastle striker’s broken metatarsal still troubling him, Eriksson admitted he would take a gamble: “I would probably take five strikers and take a risk because Michael is our best goalscorer and a small player like him normally gets back into form quicker than the big guys.”
At the 2002 World Cup, England had the disruption and distraction of Alan Smith and David Dunn being put on standby and Trevor Sinclair flying in and out of Japan so often he was on first-name terms at immigration. Less than a week before England’s opening match, against Sweden, their Italian fitness coach, Ivan Carminati, said Beckham would not be match fit for 12 days, and was only “fingers crossed” for the second game against Argentina. The captain played in both, but events were to prove Carminati’s grim prognosis not far wrong.
Eriksson should take no risks this time. Anybody not match fit shouldn’t travel. Owen, Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge and Sol Campbell have two months to regain optimum form and fitness, which should be plenty of time for three of them at least. Cole, who had another setback when he attempted a comeback in Arsenal’s reserves last Monday, is the cause for greatest concern, but the club hopes to have him playing by the end of the month. Jonathan Woodgate, again a casualty at Real Madrid, is a different kettle of paella. Unfortunately (given how good a player he is) his medical history is such that he shouldn’t be considered. He breaks down so often he should be sponsored by the RAC.
England’s latest run-out against Uruguay at Anfield was more useful than most friendlies, not least because of the morale-enhancing recovery from being a goal down to win 2-1. In terms of the 23 players going to Germany, the match inked in, or rubbed out, a couple of names previously listed in pencil. Darren Bent is now behind Jermain Defoe as England’s fourth striker, dependent on injuries rendering others unavailable or Eriksson taking five forwards, which will only happen if there is a lingering doubt about Owen’s fitness. On the other side of the coin, Frank Lampard’s absence enabled Michael Carrick to do enough to secure his place on the plane; ditto Shaun Wright-Phillips on the right wing. The two main pluses on the night were the scorers, Peter Crouch and Joe Cole, but they were always going to be in the 23 anyway.
It is to the credit of Eriksson and the players concerned that we have reached the stage where, fitness permitting, the starting XI picks itself. Paul Robinson has established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper; Gary Neville and Ashley Cole are the full-backs; and Rio Ferdinand and John Terry would get in at centre-back even if Campbell were available. In midfield, Beckham, Lampard and Steven Gerrard have long been shoo-ins, and those who doubted Joe Cole before his man-of-the-match performance last Wednesday may be interested to know that no outfield player has spent more time playing for England over the past year. The strikers are the easiest selections of the lot. It is not only when the teamsheet is inverted that Owen and Wayne Rooney are first on the list.
The doubts that remain are all among the back-ups. David James is the second-choice keeper, but Chris Kirkland could edge out Robert Green as the third, and Luke Young could miss out if Eriksson decided Jamie Carragher could cover at right-back as well as centre-half. Carragher has more strings to his bow than Robin Hood’s merry men, as he demonstrated in replacing Bridge at left-back in midweek. This versatility, priceless in tournament conditions, makes him a certainty.
Eriksson is keen to take Campbell, describing him as “a rock”. Unfortunately, the Arsenal man’s body and mind hardly appear to be hewn from stone at present, and unless he recovers something like the form that served England so well in 1998 and 2002, Ledley King could edge him out. King, who could be used at the base of a midfield diamond, deserves to go anyway.
Elsewhere, with Scott Parker mysteriously out of the equation, it seems to be a case of choosing two from Jermaine Jenas, Owen Hargreaves, Kieran Richardson and Dyer. I would take Parker before any of them, but all managers have favourites and Jenas and Dyer are two of Eriksson’s. Hargreaves seems to have fallen out of favour — and not before time. Crouch is also in this category, with much greater justification after his headed equaliser on Wednesday. He doesn’t score often enough and he is not everybody’s cup of tea (count me in), but Liverpool’s towering totem provides unusual problems for international defenders and, with Wright-Phillips, he represents Plan B.
Similarly, Defoe’s pace and finishing are anathema to tiring defences. The Spurs striker, who accompanied England on pre-tournament acclimatisation in 2002 but was left out at the 11th hour, should make it all the way this time.
In stream-of-consciousness mode, Eriksson’s latest thinking came out as follows: “If I was picking the squad today, I would know 21 of the 23. If Joe Cole goes on playing like this, we don’t have any problems on the left. He has played that role very well for more than a year now. I hope Sol Campbell starts to play for Arsenal, and plays as we know he can, otherwise I can’t pick him. I’m told he could be back in full training within a week. I don’t know about Woodgate. We have two left-backs injured now, but let’s hope they are fit again soon. If not, there is Paul Konchesky, and Carragher played there for Liverpool a couple of years ago. Wes Brown has done it now and then and Kieran Richardson has also played left-back for Manchester United, so we do have options. But there isn’t anybody who has all the qualities of Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge, and I can’t just go out looking for left-footed players. They must have the quality to play international football. In some ways it’s better to choose a right-footed player, like Carragher, who gives you that guarantee defensively.”
Of his alternative game-plans, the coach said: “Maybe sometimes I might pick Carrick ahead of Lampard or Gerrard to have a real sitting midfielder. Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard and Joe Cole have never let us down, they play well together, but in some games we will meet two strikers and a player like (Zinedine) Zidane behind, and then we will have to change.”
Eriksson is scheduled to name his World Cup squad at London’s Café Royal on May 8, the day after the Premiership season finishes, and five days before the FA Cup final. As things stand, it has to be submitted to Fifa on May 15, although that date is expected to be put back one week. The coach, whose team are a best-priced 13-1 to win the tournament, intends to name his 23, plus four or five extra players who are not part of the squad but who will cover for injuries during a training camp in the Algarve from May 15-20.
