Don’t believe it when they tell you that Rio Ferdinand was excluded from the England’s Euro squad for footballing reasons. If Roy Hodgson was such a huge fan of ?footballing reasons? there’s no way he could have selected Stewart Downing ahead of Aaron Lennon or some other decent winger. He isn’t.
He is rather a diplomatic coach who left out Rio Ferdinand (and still left him out when a chance presented itself in the form of Gary Cahill being ruled out) in order to eliminate the possibility or a race row in Camp England.
Hodgson isn’t sure whether including Rio Ferdinand could spark a racial standoff between him and John Terry and lead to the possibility of Squad disunity. Come to think of this too: Liverpool is the club with highest number of players in the English squad. Why?
Is Hodgson more comfortable when he works with players he’s familiar with or he sees something good; in footballing terms; on the basis of footballing reasons in Liverpool players? Could be.
All the same and irrespective of the players being taken to the Euros, England remains same old same. Strange squad selections, skilled but predictable players and a coach who ignores good players and includes average and slightly above average ones on the basis of footballing reasons.
If I were Hodgson, there’s no way I would include Rooney in my squad. Of course, he may become handy when England progresses beyond the group stage, but why not trust the other strikers or include someone else who’s in, currently, scoring gear? Why not Grant Holt?
And who said England was progressing beyond the group stages, anyway? They have to better France, a host nation (Ukraine) and Sweden.
France, under a new coach, has completely forgotten the 2010 World Cup debacle and are looking sharper. Fact.
Ukraine is a host nation who won’t be interested in entertaining guest wins. Fact.
Sweden, also, aren’t pushovers. Fact.
Of course, England too isn’t a pushover. But they also aren’t push-resistors, are they?
I personally don’t see England progressing past the group stages. I’ll be very much surprised if they managed it. What about you, what do you think?
Their performance in South Africa 2010 being replicated is also a sure possibility, a friend of mine noted.
Source: Stanley Courage Dugah.
