Euro Squad - No Richards.

[london blue 2]

GAMES GOALS ASSISTS SHOTS
29 1 5 20

GAMES GOALS ASSISTS SHOTS
35 4 2 88

GAMES GOALS ASSISTS SHOTS
26 6 2 35

GAMES GOALS ASSISTS SHOTS
36 0 0 72

Guess whos stats are whos...

Downing
AJ
Carroll
Micah

[Alioune DVToure]

Who the fuck is Butland? Sounds like Doomy's favourite adult store.

[mr_nool]

I think lack of game time for AJ and Micah in the run in probably cost them their tickets.
The Micah decision is just plain stupid (unless he's injured).

I can sort of understand Caroll being picked. He's picked up form and can probably be a good joker to throw in. I can definitely see him cause havoc in the Swedish defense. The option would have been Crouch.
Would personally have picked Sturridge over Defoe any day of the week.

[Beefymcfc]

Only 1 outfield player not in the Old Sky 4 (plus City of course). Tells you all you need to know on how they pick these teams. Nothing to do with the best team/players for the job, all about promoting the coin.

[PeterParker]

Roy knows his way around, Butland is one of the most important (cheats) players in Football Manager.

On the other hand, PMSL, did anyone heard what he said about Alex Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain? He said he was impressed by him in the second leg with Milan, where he did what he wanted with Ambrossini (who didn't played!) and PIRLO, who signed with Juve last summer!

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I think lack of game time for AJ and Micah in the run in probably cost them their tickets.
The Micah decision is just plain stupid (unless he's injured).

I can sort of understand Caroll being picked. He's picked up form and can probably be a good joker to throw in. I can definitely see him cause havoc in the Swedish defense. The option would have been Crouch.
Would personally have picked Sturridge over Defoe any day of the week.

I would've taken Crouch over Carroll. Absolutely.

[bigblue]

Apparently Hodgson said it was either phil jones or Micah, so he chose phil fucking jones. Unbelievably shit decision, completely delusional, and makes me hate mr jones more than ever.

Feel bad for Micah too. If Zabba wasn't in such good form, Micah would have shined all season. But how on earth can you justify leaving Micah out, let alone because of phil fucking jones?!

[DoomMerchant]

Who the fuck is Butland? Sounds like Doomy's favourite adult store.

Hey now.

Why am I the forum perv? I just say what yr all thinking.

The Specials "Ghost town" just came on in the coffee shop I'm in. Sounds fantastic. Still.

[bigblue]

apparently gerrard has been named captain too... this is shaping up to be exactly the same as the last 6 competitions for England

[FBlue]

To be fair, this is one the worst pool of English players I can remember.

Being a French NT follower since forever, I can tell you that above average international level talent is already good for doing good in a tournament.

Then it's all up to mentality watch 2002 and 2006 Germany WC squad, it's just fuckin hilarious then they are finalist and semi-finalist.

Maybe you don't have talent to win it all or to be in semi final, but give yourself the keys to do it by changing your team culture (and actually yours Gerraaaaaaaaard, Fat Lumpard and John "Black Cunt" Terry leaders).

You can laugh about Dunc... eehh Phil Jones but I would give him a run same as Micah, Sturridge and all others young english talents. I would be you I would rather lost with young players giving their all and seeing new things rather than having the same old shit...

We did it in 2008 with Domenech. Actually we were coming from a good 2006 WC but we keep up the same squad and all aour young players where on the bench (beside Benzema for one game) everybody already old getting really older, with couldn't create shit against Romania, we couldn't keep up with Netherlands speed and we all collapsed against Italy.

[johnny99]

look on the bright side when they get knocked out there will be no blame on any city players only hart will play besides i dont give a fuck about england to be honest i just cannot cheer the likes of shrek when i would sooner him break his fucking leg

[gillie]

Who the fuck is Butland? Sounds like Doomy's favourite adult store.

Hey now.

Why am I the forum perv? I just say what yr all thinking.

The Specials "Ghost town" just came on in the coffee shop I'm in. Sounds fantastic. Still.

2 days running you have posted from a coffee shop ermm interesting.

[johnny99]

Micah Richards is disappointed but wishes England well
Micah Richards has spoken of his disappointment at missing out on a place in England's European Championships, but wished the Three Lions success at the tournament in Poland the Ukraine.

After being recalled by caretaker boss Stuart Pearce for the recent friendly with Holland and acquitting himself well, Richards, who was shortlisted for the Club's Player of the Year Award this season, had hoped to be part of the 23-man party this summer.

"Of course my initial reaction is to be gutted but a manager is there to pick a squad and he cannot pick everyone," he said.

"No one will be cheering louder than me for England when the championships start. My really good mates from City and other clubs will be playing and of course I want my country to win.

Richards, who started 31 league and cup games for the Blues this season and in doing so took his career tally to 210, will now have a well-earned rest before pre-season.

"I will take myself off on holiday and come back refreshed and ready to start again next season," he concluded.

"There is so much to look forward to starting with City's trip to China and Malaysia and then the Community Shield match against Chelsea. We are defending the Premier League title and we will be ready to be competitive in the Champions League.

"Hopefully I will play my share of those games and will be selected for the England squad at some time in the future."

[shortagain]

Micah Richards is disappointed but wishes England well
Micah Richards has spoken of his disappointment at missing out on a place in England's European Championships, but wished the Three Lions success at the tournament in Poland the Ukraine.

After being recalled by caretaker boss Stuart Pearce for the recent friendly with Holland and acquitting himself well, Richards, who was shortlisted for the Club's Player of the Year Award this season, had hoped to be part of the 23-man party this summer.

"Of course my initial reaction is to be gutted but a manager is there to pick a squad and he cannot pick everyone," he said.

"No one will be cheering louder than me for England when the championships start. My really good mates from City and other clubs will be playing and of course I want my country to win.

Richards, who started 31 league and cup games for the Blues this season and in doing so took his career tally to 210, will now have a well-earned rest before pre-season.

"I will take myself off on holiday and come back refreshed and ready to start again next season," he concluded.

"There is so much to look forward to starting with City's trip to China and Malaysia and then the Community Shield match against Chelsea. We are defending the Premier League title and we will be ready to be competitive in the Champions League.

"Hopefully I will play my share of those games and will be selected for the England squad at some time in the future."

Well said Micah Richards, better not to be involved with EURO's England have no chance. Better if he got selected for Olympic Games

[Sideshow Bob]

many of woy's selections are LOL but even more LOL is seeing the rag propaganda machine at it again. ommission of scholes, camelgob and carrick the biggest travesty, and welbeck the would-be savior. note digs at barry/milner. no mention of richards or AJ, of course.



Hodgson adds to England malaise
A Downing: The effect that Roy Hodgson's 23-man selection has had on any national sense of expectation. All bets are off, quite frankly. Perhaps it's better to be underwhelmed rather than hopeful. However, it would feel more comfortable if the headline selection were not John Terry.

He is English football's teflon don. No matter what is thrown at him, he glides on by, seemingly without care for actions nor their consequences. In selecting him, Hodgson has possibly opened the door on a whole world - or at least continent - of pain.

Rio Ferdinand is the latest collateral damage resulting from the Terry phenomena. Can there be a player as vilified as the Chelsea skipper? Yet he still commands loyalty and respect among those in the game. Tabloid tales, court cases and putsches against managers litter his career but still he remains the go-to guy for national managers.

Fabio Capello gave up his job on a point of principle that centred on Terry and now Hodgson has staked his reputation on a player who has been the downfall of his predecessor, multiple Chelsea managers and now the international career of Rio Ferdinand, who was once hailed as the "new Bobby Moore".

Of the pair, it is Ferdinand who had looked in the better form this season, and even of late. But Terry continues to get his head even when memories of his horror show in Bloemfontein are still strong in the mind. While Hodgson will accept responsibility for his final selection, there may be a clue in his choice of lieutenant.

During a highly successful maiden season as a Sky pundit, Gary Neville has spoken of a liking for Terry as both man and team-mate. By contrast, his relationship with Ferdinand has never quite been the bed of roses that the sharing of such success together might suggest.

In October 2003, Neville put himself out on a limb when Ferdinand was facing a lengthy ban for skipping a drugs test. In leading the players to the brink of strike before a game with Turkey, Neville acquired the nickname 'Red Nev' for perceived shop stewarding. Yet the redness also stemmed from his loyalty to Manchester United - something that Ferdinand later showed a lack of when holding the club to ransom over a new contract when they had stood behind him and paid him in full during the eight months he was eventually banned for.

In plumping for Terry, Hodgson and Neville are taking a risk of the type to throw a purported 'safe choice' into rapid flux. What Harry Redknapp would do is bound to be a question proffered throughout the campaign.

With the selection of Downing, Hodgson is clearly not a subscriber to sabermetrics, since a haul of zero goals and zero assists hardly suggests a player in any form whatsoever, whether stats are your thing or not. The Liverpool man has a chance for vindication or, on the downside, further humiliation.

Being able to play on both wings helps his cause, though the media clamour will call for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to be first reserve should Ashley Young and presumably Theo Walcott break down. That pair will be expected to provide speed outside a central midfield severely lacking in pace. The not-so dynamic duo of Frank Lampard and captain Steven Gerrard are in alongside fellow over-30s Scott Parker and Gareth Barry in a central unit creaking with age.

Aside from Parker, whose participation remains in some doubt because of an Achilles problem, all are tried, tested and failed at an international tournament. Total victory aside, it will remain a regret that Paul Scholes, with only four months in the tank, who is probably among the fitter and less-fatigued players in the Premier League, will not be there to control the midfield. Even at 37 he has bested both Gerrard and Lampard this season, while his lieutenant in metronomic passing, Michael Carrick, did not even make the reserve list after his best season in four years.

Carrick had already booked his holidays in the self-knowledge that he has never been the type of player fancied by England managers. Meanwhile, the likes of Barry and James Milner are always trusted for a supposed dependability and versatility.

A Carrick, a Scholes would suggest an ability to change the approach of England; a Plan B that has not been in evidence since Alf Ramsey switched to his "wingless wonders" or Terry Venables could switch from a three-man to a four-man defence. The nearest thing is Andy Carroll, who looks likely to serve as a surrogate Peter Crouch: a target for the lofted ball when ponderous passing has failed to produce.

The hope for youth lies in Danny Welbeck being able to lead the line as he sometimes has for Manchester United, before Wayne Rooney can proclaim "the big man is back", as he did rather ill-fatedly at Germany 2006. It is to be hoped that Oxlade-Chamberlain does not replicate the Walcott role from that tournament.

And there goes the fear for any England fan. The same old story is expected, but it does not mean it will be accepted.

[mcfc1632]

.....can you imagine the media outrage though if the new Duncan Edwards was not included

[Dameerto]

Why are there so many Liverpool players in the squad? Seriously, why?

[Mingchester Mingy]

Its rubbish Micah isnt on that team. Half of Liverpools squad is on there, but no Micah. Is it me, or is Micah really overlooked for his play? Not to mention he could play Winger for half the premier league squads...he is a shut down defender I think.

[Ted Hughes]

How the fuck can he leave Micah out for football reasons ?

He's better than the 1st choice Spuds glory boy, let alone those fucking rag shites. Would we want any of them instead of Micah ? Or even John fucking Terry at CB instead of Micah ?

I hope Lescott picks up a bit of a strain because he'll be made to look a cunt trying to bale out this pile of shite, just as Barry was when left to mark the whole German midfield on his own last time.

All these people are the fucking same.

[PeterParker]

How the fuck can he leave Micah out for football reasons ?

He's better than the 1st choice Spuds glory boy, let alone those fucking rag shites. Would we want any of them instead of Micah ? Or even John fucking Terry at CB instead of Micah ?

I hope Lescott picks up a bit of a strain because he'll be made to look a cunt trying to bale out this pile of shite, just as Barry was when left to mark the whole German midfield on his own last time.

All these people are the fucking same.

As far as i know, after the Euro starts, you can't call any player if one of your 23 is injured, so i am really curious what will happend if one of the CB will injure himself. He will have then only 2 CB and Duncan Edwards reject who can play there, so that will be fun to watch.

I think we are over reacting. The FA and Roy can fuck off if they did this together. 50 % of this squad is a joke, including the absence of Micah, Sturridge and so on. Why Gerrard and not Fat Frank? Why Carroll and not Crouch and so on.

Bizzare, just plain bizzare.