England News September,
2005
Friday, 30 September 2005 -
Sven-Göran Eriksson
has hinted he will include Sol Campbell and
Peter Crouch in the England side
to face Austria in the World Cup qualifier on 8 October. Campbell is back
from injury and playing well for Arsenal in central defence, while Liverpool's
Crouch may come in for the suspended Wayne Rooney.
"I think Campbell is ready to come back into international football.
Crouch played well against Chelsea, he gave the centre-backs a headache."
The Swedish coach said he was left with a welcome headache
with regards to choosing his centre-back pairing for the Austria clash.
The opening ceremony of the 2006 World Cup has been moved forward by a
day to 7 June to ensure the pitch at Berlin's Olympic Stadium is in top
condition. The tournament's 11th match, scheduled to take place in Berlin
on 12 June, and a match in Kaiserslautern on 13 June will also be a played a day
earlier. Fifa said: "The decisions will ensure that there is sufficient
time for restoration work on the pitch." The Fifa Congress, on 6 June in
Munich, will now be completed in one day.
Austria have named
Andreas Herzog as stand-in coach for their remaining World Cup qualifiers.
Previous manager Hans Krankl was sacked after a 0-0 draw with Azerbaijan ended
Austria's hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup. Herzog has named
a 22-man squad for
the qualifiers against
England (8 October) and Northern Ireland (12 October). Austria
Vienna's Andreas Lasnik gets a first call-up, while Middlesbrough's Emanuel
Pogatetz is also included.
David Beckham will revert to the right side of midfield
for England's World Cup qualifier against Austria. Beckham controversially
played in central midfield in a 4-5-1 formation
against Wales
and Northern Ireland.
But he has been superb on the right for
Real Madrid in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Eriksson is concerned that
Joe Cole has not been playing
regularly for Chelsea. Cole is a
strong contender to play on the left side of a 4-4-2 against Austria, but he has
not completed 90 minutes for his club yet this season. His
Chelsea colleague
Shaun Wright-Phillips,
who provides an alternative to Cole for both club and country, has also not been
a first choice since his move to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Peter Crouch has emerged as
favourite to partner Michael Owen up front against Austria in the absence of the
suspended Wayne Rooney.
England's management have been very impressed with the form of the towering
Liverpool striker so far this season. However, central defence could prove
a contentious area for the England coach. Rio Ferdinand and
Jamie Carragher played there
in the qualifiers against Wales and Northern Ireland, but Sol Campbell and
John Terry are now back from
injury and have been in excellent form. Ferdinand, in contrast, has been
criticised for some lacklustre recent performances for both Manchester United
and England. Campbell, who has 65 caps, said: "I'm ready, it's as simple
as that. Of course I've missed it. I'm coming back. It has been a long road. The
main thing is I'm fit. I'm getting stronger, so are my heart and lungs. My
game is getting better and better, the focus - it is all good." Midfielder
Danny Murphy, who has been a key
figure in Charlton Athletic's
excellent start to the season, has been tipped for a recall.
West Ham United full-back
Paul Konchesky could also earn
a call-up as cover for left-back
Ashley Cole.
Thursday, 29 September 2005 -
Peter Crouch
will offer England "something different" for the World Cup qualifiers in
October, according to Chelsea's
Frank Lampard. Crouch looks certain to be selected by
Sven-Göran Eriksson when he names his
squad for the qualifiers against Poland and Austria on Sunday night.
Lampard said: "He'll be pushing for an England place for sure. He's fresh and
different and is someone we can use.
The FA insist they have been given assurances that
the new Wembley stadium will be ready to host next year's FA Cup final on 13
May. A report had suggested that FA officials privately rate the chances
of Wembley staging the final as 50-50. But a spokesman said construction
firm Multiplex are on course to hand over the stadium on 31 March as planned.
The FA spokesman said: "Constructors Multiplex assure us the stadium will be
completed on schedule. We are working towards hosting the FA Cup final at
Wembley Stadium next year. They are the experts in this area and we
have to follow their guidance." Multiplex have had some problems with work
on the Ł757m stadium and are expected to lose money overall on the project.
Their initial completion date of 31 January has had to be put back to 31 March.
The handover will mean Wembley National Stadium Ltd (WNSL), an FA-owned
subsidiary, taking charge of the ground. Several warm-up events will be
prepared to test the safety facilities, as demanded by Brent Council, before the
first sell-out event at the stadium.
David
Beckham has been praised by Real Madrid coach Wanderley Luxemburgo for
his role in the 2-1 victory over Olympiakos in the Champions League on
Wednesday. Beckham, who won the man-of-the-match award, set up Real's
first goal and provided many other accurate crosses. "Beckham has been
playing well for a long time. This is not the first time he has played well,"
said Luxemburgo.
Lee
Hendrie is set to undergo knee surgery, thus worsening Aston Villa's
injury crisis. It is the latest setback for the club, who also have
Kevin Phillips, among others,
on the injury list. "Lee will have keyhole surgery on Friday," said Villa
boss David O'Leary.
Wednesday, 28 September 2005 -
Kieron Dyer
is likely to be fit for Newcastle United's Premiership match against Portsmouth
on Saturday. The 26-year-old is winning his battle against a hamstring
injury, which has sidelined him since August. Manager Graeme Souness said:
"It looks like Kieron will be ready for Saturday... We have got the
international break coming up though, so hopefully all ... will be ready after
that. That may be tempting fate because sometimes players come back from
the international game with some problem or another. But if all goes to
plan, then we should have virtually a full squad in time for the game at Wigan.
The team has been picking itself this season but, with a fully-fit squad, I will
be confident we can get to an area in the table where we want to be."
Hans Krankl has been sacked as
Austria boss after
failing to guide his side to the 2006 World Cup finals - and Josef Hickersberger
is set to replace him.
England face Austria in a World Cup qualifier on 8 October and Hickersberger,
who is currently boss of Rapid Vienna, may be in charge by then. Krankl's
deal was due to end next month but the Austrians want to make plans for Euro
2008, which they will co-host. "I'm naturally disappointed. I wish my
successor all the best," said Krankl.
Austria will co-host Euro 2008 with Switzerland and Austrian
Football Federation (OFB) president Friedrich Stickler said: "I am sure Josef
Hickersberger is the ideal man to prepare the team for the big goal of Euro 2008
at home. I would like to thank Hans Krankl for his work and I wish him the
best in the future." Hickersberger has previous experience of coaching
Austria, having taken the job for the first time 15 years ago. He will
take over the national team once a release deal has been agreed between the OFB
and Vienna.
Sven-Göran Eriksson
has denied that he has lost the "dressing room" following the
World Cup qualifying defeat
to Northern Ireland. "I have lost the players? There is no chance.
To say that because of that 90 minutes I have lost the power in the dressing
room, the feeling between me and the players is lost, there is no chance."
Eriksson also hit back at suggestions that captain David Beckham wields too much
influence. "He is handled in the same way as all the other players.
The only difference is that I talk to him more than the others because he is the
captain. No player, captain or otherwise, has influence on which team or
squad I pick or which tactics I use. That is between me and my coaching staff."
And despite deploying a much criticised 4-5-1 formation against Northern
Ireland, Eriksson hinted he would revert to his preferred 4-4-2 system for the
crunch homes games against Austria and Poland. I've not abandoned the
single striker. We can play that way, I thought it was necessary against
Ireland. But I prefer 4-4-2 and so do the players. I've played that way
with every team I've coached." The England coach said that his decision to
play 4-5-1 does not explain why his team lost to Northern Ireland. "When
you lose and play badly, as we did in Belfast, suddenly people say everything is
wrong - the players are wrong, the tactics are wrong, the mood in the dressing
room is wrong, the feeling between me and the players is won, everything."
Tuesday, 27 September 2005 -
Poland coach Pawel
Janas has named his
squad for the World Cup qualifier against England on 12 October. The
Poles currently lead Qualifying Group
Six and are boosted by the return of Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who
dislocated his elbow during training with his club in August.
Danny Murphy may win an
international recall for next month's World Cup qualifiers, according to England
assistant boss Tord Grip. England boss
Sven-Göran Eriksson will watch the
28-year-old during Charlton
Athletic's game against
Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. And Grip said: "In midfield we have
some good players but if Murphy plays like he has done so far we will watch
him." He won nine England caps between 2001 and 2003 but has since been
overlooked.
Murphy has played a major part in Charlton's high-flying
campaign, which has led them to second place in the Premiership.
Monday, 26 September 2005 -
Premiership
football:- Jermain Defoe
scores the only goal of the night to send
Tottenham Hotspur up to fourth
spot following their win over Fulham.
David
Beckham is to hold talks with
Real Madrid about extending his contract. The 30-year-old former
Manchester
United midfielder has one more year on his deal after this season and has
welcomed the club's offer of talks. "The club have said they want to talk
to me about signing a new deal and I am very happy to do that. My life
here is perfect and I'm happy at Real Madrid so of course I want to stay as long
as I can. We have spoken about a meeting in the next couple of months but
we'll just have to wait because we've got so many matches and I need to
concentrate on the football for now.
Sunday, 25 September 2005 -
David James
says he expects to be in Sven Goran
Eriksson's squad if England qualify for next year's World Cup finals.
The 35-year-old was dropped following an error-strewn display in last month's
4-1 friendly defeat by
Denmark. But James believes Eriksson would be "silly" to go to Germany
without him as his experience could be invaluable. "I still see myself as
part of the Cup squad. Sven definitely hasn't shut the door," James added.
Steven Gerrard has
blamed a lack of fitness for his poor performances in England's recent World Cup
qualifiers against Wales
and Northern Ireland.
Prior to the qualifers, Gerrard, 25, had been recovering from a calf injury.
The Liverpool midfielder said: "I
suffered in the two England games because I wasn't 100% fit. My
performances against Wales and Northern Ireland were not good enough. Now I am
100% - I can feel the sharpness coming back. I feel good."
Saturday, 24 September 2005 -
Premiership
football:- Frank Lampard
scores twice for Chelsea as they
maintain top stop after beating Aston
Villa 2-1. Michael Owen scores again for Newcastle United as they beat
Manchester City.
Danny Murphy scores twice as
Charlton Athletic beat
West Bromwich Albion.
David Unsworth
scores an early goal for
Sheffield United against Derby County.
Friday, 23 September 2005 -
Gary Neville faces six weeks out after undergoing groin
surgery today. Neville, 30, suffered the injury during
Manchester
United's
Champions League qualifier against Debrecen in Hungary last month. He was
hoping to return to action against Blackburn Rovers but, after breaking down in
training on Thursday, decided to undergo surgery. Manchester United boss
Sir Alex Ferguson said: "It is a blow but we think it is the best course of
action. The recovery time from the operation is a month and then it will
take another two or three weeks to get his fitness back." Neville will be
ruled out until the middle of November and will miss the key Premiership clash
with leaders Chelsea on 6 November. He will also be sidelined for
England's World Cup qualifying matches
against Austria
and Poland next month.
Thursday, 22 September 2005 -
Jonathan
Woodgate suffered a torrid
Real Madrid debut, scoring a spectacular own goal and then being sent off
against Athletic Bilbao. In the first half Woodgate, 25, stooped to clear
a Joseba Etxeberria shot only to head the ball past Iker Casillas.
Woodgate was red-carded on 65 minutes after picking up a second yellow card.
Woodgate confessed: "It was not the best start in the world. I couldn't
believe it. I went to try to block the ball and it just skimmed off my
head. Obviously, I did not want to get an own goal. I just can't believe I
got sent off. I didn't think the second yellow card was right, you know, but
it's the referee's decision. I want to thank the public, who were
brilliant when I was walking off. They were all clapping and cheering."
Wednesday, 21 September 2005 - 
Second round matches
threw up some shocks: A Darius
Vassell penalty for Manchester City
in Extra Time was not enough for Stuart Pearce's team. City went out 3-0 on
penalty kicks to Doncaster Rovers. It was 1-1 after 120 minutes.
Andy Johnson is set to
miss England's World Cup qualifiers next month after failing to recover from a
knee injury in time. Johnson, who injured his knee in
Crystal Palace's 3-2
defeat against Reading last week, underwent an exploratory operation that
confirmed the extent of the damage. Eagles manager Iain Dowie expects
Johnson to return for the club's Championship match against Coventry City in
mid-October, meaning the 24-year-old striker will miss the next four games.
"It could have been a six to eight-week thing but we never thought it was as
dire as some people were predicting. We hope to have him back for the
Coventry game in mid-October." Johnson had initially feared he would miss
eight more weeks before the operation confirmed that damage was less serious
than first feared.
Michael Carrick is likely
to be sidelined for at least a fortnight after sustaining an ankle injury in
Tottenham Hotspur's defeat at Grimsby Town. Carrick fell awkwardly in the
1-0 Carling Cup loss at Blundell Park. Boss Martin Jol said: "Michael
Carrick twisted his ankle in a bad way. I've seen it on video again. He's
recovering quickly but I think it will take a couple of weeks. So we'll have to
play with a new midfield again against Fulham."
Owen
Hargreaves is holding contract extension talks with German champions
Bayern Munich. The
24-year-old midfielder's contract expires at the end of this season. Last
season Hargreaves was frequently used as a substitute by coach Felix Magath, but
he has been a regular in the team during the current campaign. "We've had
initial talks and we aim to agree on a long-term contract extension over the
next few weeks," vice-chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sportbild.
"Owen Hargreaves has changed a lot in a very positive direction.
His game is much more effective now and he has become a vital member of the
team. We are very happy with him and would like him to stay with us."
Tuesday,
20 September 2005 -
Second round matches saw few surprises:
Gareth Barry scored two of
Aston Villa's eight after they
overcame Wycombe Wanderers.
Darren Bent was also on the scoresheet as
Charlton Athletic came from
behind to beat Hartlepool United.
Wayne Rooney has been
given a two-match Champions League ban by Uefa. The 19-year-old
Manchester
United striker was dismissed against Villarreal last week for reacting to a
booking by clapping in referee Kim Milton Nielsen's face. The referee also
reported that Rooney swore at him as he left the field. United could now
contest the referee's accusation of swearing, and an appeal must be lodged with Uefa officials by midnight on Friday.
The suspension would involve Rooney missing United's games
with Benfica on 27 September and Lille on 18 October, which are both at Old
Trafford.
David
Beckham has rubbished reports that he has fallen out with
Wayne Rooney following the
country's embarrassing 1-0
defeat to Northern Ireland. The pair had a heated exchange after
Rooney was booked whilst losing his temper, and the
Manchester
United star was not afraid to offer his skipper some choice words on the
pitch. Reports suggested that the argument continued into the dressing
room as Sven-Göran Eriksson's men suffered humiliation, although Beckham has now
moved to deny any rift in the England camp. "Of course there is no
fall-out. Me and Wayne have talked a number of times in the last week.
The whole thing has just been blown out of all proportion. Wayne is not
just a team-mate of mine in the England side but he is a friend."
José
Mourinho has suggested that he may be interested in coaching England in
the future. "It's true that part of me feels like an Englishman now.
If I stay here for the next five years, the length of my contract, I will feel
even more English. With six years of loving London and England I'll have
something of England and the people in my heart so I could do (the job) in a
professional way."
But the charismatic Portuguese-born Chelsea boss also stated
that he felt the job was best suited to an Englishman. "I still think it's
really for an English person," he added. Mourinho has made a huge impact
in English football and last season led Chelsea to the top-flight title for the
first time in 50 years. The Chelsea
boss also had words of praise for Sven-Göran Eriksson. "At the moment the
England job is for Sven, who is a top professional and who also does it with a
bit of England in his heart."
David
Beckham has played down claims from Espanyol's Sergio Sanchez that he
slapped him. Sanchez, a substitute in his side's win over
Real Madrid, said: "I was stretching
on the touchline and coughed as he was about to take the corner." Sanchez said
Beckham confronted him in the tunnel after the game and added: "That is when he
slapped me. He was going crazy and swearing at me." But Beckham said the
touchline clash was "just one of those things".
Jonathan
Woodgate is ready to complete his
Real Madrid rehabilitation by helping the club turn round their poor start
to the Primera Liga season. Woodgate, 25, has featured in some preparation
games following an 18-month lay-off with a thigh injury and may face Athletic
Bilbao on Thursday. "If coach Wanderley Luxemburgo and Real Madrid need
me, then I am ready," Woodgate told Spanish paper Diario AS. "It is what I
am working to do here and I feel very good."
Real coach Luxemburgo has included the England international in his
first-team squad this season and Woodgate was on the substitutes' bench in
Sunday's match with Espanyol.
Trevor Sinclair is
hoping to give his Manchester City
manager Stuart Pearce some good news regarding his injury. The former England
star, 32, is due to have a scan on the knee injury he picked up during City's
home defeat by Bolton last Sunday. And Pearce said: "I have got my fingers
crossed. I think Trevor has stretched ligaments in his knee but we will
not know until all the tests are done. The form he is in, it will be a big blow
to lose him."
Monday,
19 September 2005 - 
Wayne Rooney has been
named FIFPro's World Young Player of the Year.
Chelsea duo
John Terry and
Frank Lampard won places in the
World XI line-up, which was voted for by their fellow professionals. Pele
was honoured with the FIFPro legend award. The awards were held at a
glittering gala ceremony in London.
Premiership
football:- Sol Campbell marked his return to the
Arsenal first team by scoring twice
against Everton in the 2-0 win.
Nicky
Butt has been charged by the The Football Association for "abusive and/or
insulting words towards a match official". Butt, 30, was sent off for
Birmingham City against
Portsmouth on Saturday after kicking
out at Dario Silva in the 1-1 draw. City boss Steve Bruce complained that
the dismissal was harsh and that Silva escaped with a yellow card. Butt
has until 1800 BST on Tuesday to respond and a disciplinary commission will hear
his case on 27 September.
Anthony
Gardner may face a lengthy lay-off after suffering a thigh injury.
Gardner was carried off on a stretcher during the first half of
Tottenham Hotspur's 1-1 draw at
Aston Villa and scans have revealed
he may have a serious problem. Manager Martin Jol was not optimistic about
the medical verdict, saying: "It looks as if it could be a bad one but we will
have to wait and see. "It is a great shame for Anthony because he has done
well this season."
Sunday,
18 September 2005 -
Premiership
football:- Michael Owen scores his first 'toon goal, adding to Alan
Shearer's already enormous tally, as Newcastle United beat Blackburn Rovers.
David James has backed calls for England team-mate Wayne
Rooney to seek help in order to curb his temper. Professional Footballers'
Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes counselling could help the
19-year-old. Manchester City goalkeeper James said: "Of course a sports
psychologist can help - it's certainly helped me. Wayne is still a very
young man in a position which has a lot of strain and stress. He is a decent lad
under a tremendous amount of pressure."
Saturday, 17 September 2005 -
Premiership
football:- on a quiet day, Nicky Butt is sent off for
Birmingham City as they draw
against Portsmouth.
Carlton Palmer resigns as manager of Mansfield Town
after his side lost 2-0 at Rochdale on Saturday. The former England
midfielder has seen his team slip to third from bottom of League Two, with only
six points from their first nine matches.
Paul Gascoigne believes that Wayne Rooney is being
put under too much pressure at too young an age by England boss Sven-Göran
Eriksson. Striker Rooney was sent off for Manchester United against
Villarreal on Wednesday and was also cautioned during England's 1-0 loss to
Northern Ireland. "It's not fair relying on a 19-year-old kid to win games
for England. He should be welcomed, cuddled and caressed and looked after
a bit more."
Friday, 16 September 2005 -
The Football Association has confirmed it is planning
to make a bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals - but will not try for the 2014
finals. FA chief executive Brian Barwick has already targeted the 2018
finals after Britain's successful Olympic 2012 bid. "The FA has said
publicly that we are serious about a possible bid for the 2018 World Cup, but
reports about 2014 are inaccurate," said an FA spokesman. The 2014 finals
are likely to be held in South America. The culture secretary Tessa Jowell
has confirmed that the Government would support any bid by the FA to stage the
2018 World Cup in England. A Treasury spokesman said: "In the normal
course of its business, the Treasury and DCMS are in constant dialogue with the
FA and other sports bodies on a range of issues. Discussions about a World
Cup bid in 2018 are at a very early stage, but we are hopeful we can build on
the success of our Olympic bid by bringing the World Cup and other great
international sporting events to Britain."
Andy Johnson has
confirmed that he will need knee surgery, with the Crystal Palace man fearing he
may be out for six weeks after sustaining the injury in the 3-2 defeat to
Reading. Johnson was stretchered off after scoring against Reading, and
has confirmed that he needs an operation to clean out the joint. "I expect
to be missing for two weeks but, if there's a lot to clean out, then it could be
four to six. Obviously, I'm disappointed to be missing games but it's a
relief that it isn't any worse. I picked up the injury when I slid in on
one of their players after about half an hour. As I did so, there was a
collision which jarred my leg."
Thursday, 15 September 2005 -
Dave
Whelan, the Wigan Athletic chairman, has accused the Football Association
of "lacking the guts" to sack Sven-Göran Eriksson. Whelan said:
"Sven-Göran Eriksson would have been sacked by now if it was up to me.
It's obvious the FA don't have the guts to get rid of him even though he's had
his chance and should be replaced."
Instead, the FA has backed the Swede, who said in an
interview last weekend that he was worth his reported Ł4.5m-a-year salary.
"The whole system and pattern of play under Sven is flawed. We seem to have lost
the plot," said Whelan. Whelan, who funded Wigan's rise to Premiership
status, believes Eriksson's number two Steve McClaren should get the manager's
job, with Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce as his assistant. "I know it
is easy to criticise and I accept it is a difficult job managing England but the
man in charge must be passionate and realise he owes it to the nation to win the
World Cup. Let's see someone in charge with feeling for the game and let's
make sure England are coached by an Englishman."
Wednesday, 14 September 2005 -
Wayne Rooney see's red
following two yellow cards. The first for a rash challenge, the second,
moments later, for mocking the referee.
Manchester United earned a goalless
draw with Villareal.
Sol Campbell makes his first appearance for
Arsenal as they overcome FC Thun.
:
England drop to 11th. England have dropped out of the
top 10 in the world in the Fifa rankings list for the first time since June
2004. They fall four places to 11th after losing 4-1 in a friendly to
Denmark and 1-0 in a World Cup qualifying tie at Northern Ireland. France
have moved up three positions to sixth and in-form Sweden have moved back into
the top 10. Brazil keep their top spot but Netherlands have jumped over
Argentina in second place after World Cup qualifying wins over Armenia and
Andorra. Denmark (up four to 14th), Poland (up five to 17th) and Cameroon
(up six to 22nd) are three of the other major winners in the latest list.
Tuesday, 13 September 2005 -
Frank Lampard scores
Chelsea's only goal against Anderlecht.
-
Steven Gerrard is rested as
Liverpool beat Real Betis.
Alan Curbishley should be a future England manager, according to Charlton
Athletic chief executive Peter Varney. Curbishley has just clocked up 600
games in sole charge at The Valley, over a period spanning 10 years. "I'm
not surprised he's linked with the England job. It's a great reflection on
him and Charlton. Alan is one of the best English coaches there is, but he
has got a job to do here and I hope he finishes it."
Varney said when Curbishley did eventually leave the club, he
would leave a substantial legacy for his successor. Alan has shown
tremendous loyalty, because he has had chances to better himself. But he
has stayed here, helped the club move forward, and created the best playing
squad we have ever had. We believe that history will record he is the
greatest manager the club's ever had."
Stuart Pearce has backed goalkeeper David James to
win back his England place. Sven-Göran Eriksson dropped James, 35, who
admitted he had not prepared for his error-strewn appearance against Denmark
last month. But Pearce insisted: "David has never let me down and he has a
chance of getting back into the England squad. He has responded to the
situation positively and his attitude around the training ground has been
top-notch."
James was dropped from the squad for the World Cup qualifying
double-header against Wales and Northern Ireland. With Paul Robinson
established as England's number one, James is in competition for an understudy
role with Norwich's Robert Green and West Brom's on-loan keeper Chris Kirkland.
James has won 26 caps for England but Pearce feels the keeper has the appetite
to win his England place back. Pearce said: "As I said to him before, if
you're going to be left out of the England squad, it's better to happen a year
before the World Cup than a month before because then he would have no chance.
Saturday, 10 September 2005 -
Premiership
football resumes following the International break:-
Darren Bent scores the only goal
for Charlton Athletic as they
beat
Birmingham City.
Scott Parker is sent off on
Michael Owen's debut for Newcastle United against
Fulham.
Andy Johnson scores once again for
Crystal Palace against Hull City. David Unsworth
scores a last minute penalty winner for
Sheffield United against Coventry City.
Sven-Göran Eriksson admits he expects to lose his job if they fail to
qualify for the World Cup. He said: "I care. I'm desperate when
we're losing. I'm putting my reputation on getting to the World Cup with
England. If I do not go to the World Cup I will not have a job in this
country and elsewhere. But we have one foot in the World Cup, so why should I
leave?"
Eriksson was adamant he would not quit, despite being
fiercely criticised after the Belfast defeat. He said: "Absolutely not, no
chance. We have two games to go and if we win both we are in the World Cup. Why
should I resign? Things went wrong on Wednesday, especially in the second
half. The manager's job is to try to get it right. I will talk to the players
before we come together again and we will get this right."
Eriksson also insisted his controversial switch to a five-man midfield was not
the reason England lost in Belfast. He said: "When you lose football games
everything is bad, you can find errors everywhere but I don't think the
formation was the problem. "In the first 35 minutes we played as well as
we wanted to play, Paul Robinson never touched the ball. Something
happened out there but we couldn't get it right. We lost the spirit, Northern
Ireland beat us and we have to accept that. It is up to me now to get it
right and we have to get it right before we meet up for the October games."
Friday, 9 September 2005 -
Sam
Allardyce wants to succeed Sven-Göran Eriksson when he leaves his job as
England boss, according to his agent. Agent Mark Curtis said: "Sam wants
the job whenever Sven leaves - and the Bolton chairman knows it."
Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil
Gartside is a prominent member of the Football Association board.
And Allardyce's former right-hand man at Bolton, Derby boss
Phil Brown, also backed his claims to succeed Eriksson.
Stuart Pearce has won the Barclays Manager of the Month award for August.
Manchester City's Pearce, who also won
the previous award in April, is rewarded for a strong start to the season which
saw City take 10 points from a possible 12.
Sven-Göran Eriksson held talks with Football Association officials on
the flight back from Northern Ireland, according to reports. It is
believed Eriksson was told his job was safe, but that a repeat of the dismal
World Cup qualifying display in Belfast would not be tolerated. Eriksson,
whose contract runs until 2008, insists he has no intention of quitting.
"If you want to know who is responsible, then it's always me. I have to turn it
right. It's about working, talking and not panicking. I could not even
dream of not qualifying for the World Cup. We have to win the next two
games. Will I quit if we don't? We are going to win them and that's it."
Jim Boyce, the President of the Irish FA, has renewed his call for the
return of the Home Nations Championship in the wake of Northern Ireland's win
over England. Boyce believes the competition could be held every two
years, with matches being played on the friendly date in either February or
March. The winners would then play for the trophy in either August or
November. "I appeal to my colleagues in England, Scotland and Wales to
give serious thought to this matter," said Boyce.
The third and fourth place game would also be played in
either August or November. "Hopefully we will have a meeting with the
British associations and this item will be top of the agenda. It would
also emphasise to Fifa and Uefa our commitment to maintain separate identities
for our four countries."
Thursday, 8 September 2005 -
Michael Owen insists England will bounce back from
their shock defeat to Northern Ireland. The Newcastle United striker is
one of the first of the Three Lions' side to face the media following England's
miserable performance. Owen himself was glad to have played his first game
of the season, but there was no getting away from the disappointment of the
English result. "Everyone knows it was my first competitive game of the
season, and it was good to get back playing again but not in that manner, it was
a disappointing result but at least I am playing and am fit. As a squad,
there are plenty of times when you are up and down and it is often the biggest
test of a squad when the chips are down. We could feel the hurt and
collectively we don't want to have that feeling again and we have the chance to
put it right in the last two games and hopefully, if we win the group, that will
make up for it."
Sven-Göran Eriksson has born the brunt of the media backlash, but Owen
insists the squad as a whole should shoulder the blame.
Glen Johnson
is believed to have been sent home from England Under-21 duty after angering
manager Peter Taylor. The Football Association's official line is that
Johnson had a thigh injury which forced him out of Tuesday's European
Championship qualifier. But Chelsea's 21-year-old right-back is understood
to have angered Taylor and fellow team-mates with poor time-keeping and his poor
attitude. However a Chelsea statement said: "Glen has come back with a
thigh strain."
Sven-Göran Eriksson insisted he would not quit as England coach after
last night's shock 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland. "I'm not going to
resign. I'm going to try to make it right. In October, win two games and we
qualify," he said. But he said he expected plenty of criticism for
England's poor display. "This is my worst experience as England manager
because it's a qualification game. We shouldn't lose here. We should
not even draw. We should win games like this. We didn't, so of course I'm
very sorry, disappointed as the players are."
Wednesday, 7 September 2005 -
Northern
Ireland 1
England 0A
sorrowful England performance allowed Northern Ireland to pull of a shock win.
Poland also beat Wales to climb 5 points ahead at the top of the Group 6 table.
Austria drew with Azerbaijan.
David Beckham says the 1-0 defeat is the low point of his
international career and admits he is worried by the calls for
Sven-Göran Eriksson's head. The Three Lions looked anything but World
Cup challengers, as David Healy's goal handed the Irish a thoroughly deserved
win over England. The result left Windsor Park jumping and England
deflated and Beckham admits the defeat is difficult to take. "Strong words
have been said by the manager and the lads have to take it. It has been an
embarrassment, but we stick together, that's what the team is about, even when
we're criticised. Tonight hurts more than anything, but we stick together
and we have to put it right. If we win the next two games we go top of the
group."
Tuesday, 6 September 2005 -
Michael Owen has not been told by coach Sven-Göran
Eriksson has not told striker Michael Owen whether he will play in Wednesday's
World Cup qualifier. Owen missed the win over Wales through suspension and
Eriksson has yet to tell the forward if he will return. But Owen, 25,
said: "I'm confident of my position in the team and my value to it on recent and
past performances. I don't think I'd be especially thankful if the manager
played me. I don't think I owe anyone any favours." Owen is expected to be
recalled in place of Shaun Wright-Phillips or Joe Cole for the Windsor Park
game. But he says he is not bothered who makes way for him. "The
manager chooses the best 11 players. If I'm in that, I'm not going to sit around
and think who might not be playing or should be playing.".
Monday, 5 September 2005 -
Belfast City Airport was a mass of tight security as the England team arrived
for their World Cup qualifier.
Sven-Göran Eriksson's
squad then moved to the nearby Culloden Hotel ahead of Wednesday's Group Six
match. The Football Association has booked all the bedrooms and function
facilities at the five-star hotel to ensure privacy. David Beckham and his
team-mates will train at the Windsor Park match venue on Tuesday afternoon.
Police in south Belfast said they were expecting around 1,200
supporters from England.
Frank Lampard's
recent form is a cause for concern, according to
Sven-Göran Eriksson. The Chelsea midfielder failed to shine in
England's win over Wales at the weekend and Eriksson has conceded his form is a
cause for concern. However, Eriksson has backed Lampard to come good for
both club and country this season. "He's not in top form I don't think,
for us or Chelsea. He is slow in coming to his best. But once he
gets there, he will stay there for the rest of the season. Lampard is always
good."
Eriksson also admitted Steven Gerrard was below-par against Wales in Cardiff.
The Liverpool man was a doubt for the game through injury before proving his
fitness two days before the clash and Eriksson thinks the inspirational
midfielder looked tired against Wales. "You must remember Steven has
trained just twice in the last 12 days and it was his first game for two and a
half weeks. I think he was tired in the second half and maybe should have
gone off earlier. We needed more energy inside that area."
Sven-Göran Eriksson has strongly hinted that he will
change his formation to accommodate Michael Owen against Northern Ireland.
Eriksson experimented with a 4-5-1 formation in the 1-0 win over Wales but he
could switch back to 4-4-2 now that Owen is available after suspension.
"Michael Owen will bring goals, if he plays. I think he will play but I'm
not sure yet. Any defender has problems when he plays and a lot of respect
for him."
Sunday, 4 September 2005 -
Sven-Göran Eriksson may opt for a 4-4-2 formation in
the World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland. Eriksson experimented
with 4-5-1 in the 1-0 win over Wales but could recall striker Michael Owen after
suspension to partner Wayne Rooney on Wednesday. "I hope we can play
better for the whole 90 minutes against Northern Ireland. I don't know
about Michael. We will have to see him in training, I don't know what shape he's
in exactly."
But despite calling for an overall improvement from his team,
the Swede insisted he was happy with the performance at the Millennium Stadium
and the way his players adapted to the new style, particularly following the 4-1
defeat to Denmark.
Saturday, 3 September 2005 -
Wales
0 England
1
Joe Cole scores the only goal of the game to keep England's World Cup
hopes very much alive. Northern Ireland beat Azerbaijan 2-0 and Poland
beat Austria 3-2 to remain top of the
Group 6 table.
Friday, 2 September 2005 -
Fifa
president Sepp Blatter wants the Football Association to launch a bid to host
the 2018 World Cup in England. Blatter said he would welcome a bid from
"the homeland of football" and claimed they could take advantage of facilities
used in the 2012 Olympics. He said: "I would say yes, they should bid - it
is the homeland of football. They are building stadia and other facilities
for the Olympics, Wembley is almost finished and maybe they would be used for a
World Cup bid."
A sculpture of World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore
has been commissioned to stand outside the new Wembley Stadium. The
tribute will stand outside the main stadium entrance on Wembley Way.
Sculptor Philip Jackson, from Sussex, has also created statues of Sir Matt Busby
outside Old Trafford and the Queen in Windsor Great Park. The statue of
Moore, who died in 1993 at the age of 51, will be unveiled next year.
Stewart Downing has been
ruled out for at least three months after undergoing knee surgery. The
21-year-old England winger had an operation to repair cartilage damage and faces
a long period of recovery. Middlesbrough coach Steve Round said: "It's
obviously a major blow, both for Stewart and the team, that he will be out for
so long. I know Stewart would love to play in next year's World Cup and
there's still every chance for him to do so."
Luke Young
looks set to be given the task of marking Ryan Giggs in England's World Cup
qualifier against Wales on Saturday. Phil Neville had been tipped to
replace injured brother Gary for the game at the Millennium Stadium. But
Young was given the nod in the first team in training on Thursday and is now
favourite to start the match. Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard has been declared
fit to play.
Thursday,
1 September 2005 -
Sven-Göran Eriksson is set to try out a new formation
for England's World Cup qualifier in Wales on Saturday. Eriksson
will play a 4-5-1 system, with influential captain David Beckham in a deep lying
midfield position behind Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. Joe Cole and
Shaun Wright-Phillips will be the wingers and striker Wayne Rooney will plough a
lone furrow up front with Michael Owen suspended. It is understood that
the plan was discussed at a meeting between Eriksson and senior players on
Tuesday.
Robbie
Fowler made his comeback for the
Manchester City reserves on Wednesday after missing the start of the season
with a back problem. Fowler netted in a 3-2 win over Wigan's second string
to round off an encouraging 76 minutes of action. City boss Stuart Pearce
will not rush Fowler back and has Andrew Cole and
Darius Vassell at his disposal.
Fifa
has said that Great Britain must enter a team at the 2012 Olympics but that each
home nation's individual status will not be affected. The idea has been
mooted before but has never been adpoted because of fears that Fifa would insist
on a Great Britain team at the World Cup as well. But Fifa president Sepp
Blatter said there was no danger of this happening. "The four British
associations will not lose the rights and privileges acquired back in 1947.
They will play with one team but it is up to them how they do it. It can
be a mixed team, it can be from just one of the home nations, whatever they want
to do."
___________________
CG
England Football Online