Football Warning – Ferdinand, race or ability?

http://gu.com/p/384gm

From the story linked above. My first reaction to him being left out was that he’s no longer up to it, but as his replacements become injured, is he being left out for being a Ferdinand?

In a football only sense, if Ferdinand and Terry can’t play together, then Terry in my mind is the better player, Morally, then Terry should not be there,

Thoughts, opinion, does anyone care?

Terry should not be playing. Ferdinand? originaly I thought fair enough but given how callow his replacements replacements are it seems odd

I personally think that Hodgson is building for the next World Cup, and therefore needs to start blooding players who will be available then.

Obviously you still need the experienced players (Gerrard, Terry etc), but players like Kelly are possibly Englands future, and the experience of this tournament will be invaluable.

I think Roy had just made up his mind the first time (correctly) that Rio is finished and doesn’t want to go back on that decision. Good centre-halves grow on trees in the UK, so it’s not like there’s a shortage in the side – Lescott will play and there’s Jagielka behind him and both are solid.
Roy should have gone further and binned Terry as well, but clearly that’s not his style to clean house in one go.

I agree that Terry should have been axed as well. He’s a nasty piece of work.

didn’t fergie say that rio can’t play 2 games in 4 days ? guy’s too old and he’s had his time.

it’s a non argument.

Weird squad selection though, no Micah Richards, Adam Johnson, Lennon or Crouch, instead going for Kelly, Downing, Oxlade Chamberlain and Carroll, all of whom have done v little this year.

The most recent ommission can only be due to Terry’s court case. Hodgson’s going to a major tournament with 3 recognised centre halves, I don’t remember that happening in my lifetime, Phil Jones demonstrated that he is not ready to play centre half last season for Utd. You’d call Ferdinand up as backup if he was willing to come and that’s been made clear.

I don’t see how it can be justified on either ability, form, fitness or age. The only explanation imo therefore is that Terry’s there and Ferdinand can’t be to avoid friction between squad members.

Obviously you still need the experienced players (Gerrard, Terry etc)

Why? All they are experienced in is failing internationally.

Agree, Ferdinand isn’t the player he was, but he’s still got experience and I’d prefer to see him coming on as a sub than Kelly.

Carroll instead of Crouch makes no sense to me – Crouch has just come off a fantastic season at Stoke, voted player of the year. 25 goals in 53 European games, and 22 goals in 42 games internationally is an amazing record. He’s not a starter, but if we’re losing with 15 mins left, he’s always worth a shout – European and International defenders don’t know how to play against him – makes them panic. We’re never gonna out pass a decent side like Spain/Holland – the only way we’ll win is by playing like Stoke and sneaking something from a set piece.

How Micah Richards got left out is bizarre, as is Johnson’s omission.

It’s just more anti- Man Utd crap, innit?
Chelsea are the golden boys at the moment and have caught the eyes of the businessmen. It’s simply a case of earning more money for the folks who want more.
Bog all to do with football.

TBH I don’t think it’s anti Man Utd or any other club, it more seems to be pro Liverpool if anything. Worst season in years, 8th best team in the Prem, and Roy still decides that Kelly, G Johnson, Gerrard (fair enough), Downing, Henderson and Carroll all deserve a place above Man City/Utd/Spurs etc players.

Ok we’ve lost a couple of players to injury, but there’s far better replacements than a Ste from Hollyoaks lookalike and Martin Kelly.

That’s a bit too ABU even for me, if it was a decision based on the player’s club then Rooney would be left out cos he can’t play in the first 2 games and Young would be out cos “ref’s are wise to him”

didn’t fergie say that rio can’t play 2 games in 4 days ? guy’s too old and he’s had his time. it’s a non argument.

+1

Apparently Richards did a Carrick & didn’t want to be on the reserve list. Personally I rate Richards as the best right back in the country just now, however if his attitude is he’s too big for the reserve list then they both have got what they deserve as they both would now be going…

There would be no point taking Crouch, when all of Downings crosses skew off behind the goal line.

I am not sure on Ferdinand, I have always considered him overrated, he believes his own hype and tries to overcomplicate things, he at his best with someone alongside him to keep him in check, a Vidic or Terry, if he can’t play with Terry I don’t see Lescot or Jagielka doing that.

Micah Richards would probably be in the team now, if he hadn’t ruled himself off the standby list.

if his attitude is he’s too big for the reserve list then they both have got what they deserve

He should probably already have far more caps than he does, I read somewhere that he was devastated not to be in the team, and just couldn’t lift himself to keep training when the probability was that he wouldn’t take part.

I don’t think anybody’s suggesting that Ferdinand should be starting every game when he’s been a bit of a crock for the last 3 seasons, but he did a very good job with an inexperienced back 4 after Vidic got injured last season for Utd. For me, he’s been the best centre half England have had for the last 10 years.

Do you believe that England would be better off not having him on the bench as an option if Lescott or Terry get injured? Do you believe that Martin Kelly or Phil Jones could offer more if needed?

However “if he can’t play with Terry” really is the issue here isn’t it. He hasn’t been selected on that basis because given the above, any other explanation just doesn’t make sense.

I believe that the fact that Terry is due to face charges for racially abusing Rio’s brother. This has a lot to do with why they both can’t go.

If the guy’s club manager says he can’t play twice in four days then that was his fate sealed. “Coming off the bench” is irrelevant, look what happened to Cahill after 15 minutes. Rio might have had to play 90% of the competition (3 games likely!) and he wouldn’t have stood up to that. I’d rather have a fit Kelly although as a L’pool fan even I’m shocked at the inclusion of Downing and Henderson! Fergie has been meddling for years and if Rio disagrees with that assessment he should launch him rather than Hodgeson.

Johnson should have gone in place of Downing with my Great Aunt in front of Henderson.

Richards is a brat and should never be considered again, same with Carrick. I cannot believe that Richards has no one close enough to him to advise against his stance. He’s good enough to play but if I had Roy’s job he wouldn’t get another look in. I see a grovelling apology on the horizon…

ferdinand is Loooong past it.. his boss says he cant play too games a week he’s 33 it d be his last tournament. give a 22yr old a chance he can play for another 12 years at the top level..

no one gave the greeks a cat in hells chance Woy will have his boys play the same style and try to knick a goal it worked for chelsea against the best clubs in the world..

“Coming off the bench” is irrelevant!! Are you joking?

I’ll say it again, nobody is suggesting he should be first choice given his injury history, but what’s the likelihood that Terry and Lescott will pick up injuries that’ll knock them out of the tournament within the first 3 games and anyway the games spread out after the group stages.

Are you really saying that you’d rather have Kelly (a right back) playing at centre back instead of Ferdinand!?!? Have you watched any football this season?

Do you believe that Ferdinand has not been taken for “footballing reasons” at this stage?

thered – YES I WOULD rather have a fit Kelly than a crocked Rio. I think Jags and then Jones will get the nod before Kelly but you need to check your facts – Kelly is a centre-back not a full back!! He has been played (and looked totally lost) at right back this year but he has always been, and looked pretty effective as a centre back.

So in conclusion, yes I believe Hodgeson when he says ‘footballing’ reasons – whether that be perceived fitness or perceived talent. As I intimated before, if Fergie had kept his whisky addled beak out of what doesn’t concern him, then maybe things would have been different for Rio.

Hahahahaha, you are correct, he is a centre back, he just doesn’t play there for his club, makes complete sense to take him in the squad and play him in that position then doesn’t it. Says it all about Hodgson’s decision and your opinion.

Bit of the bitter ambulance attacker coming out now, I think you need to calm down.

A bit of versatility makes perfect sense to me. Certainly more than your ambulance attacking – I have no idea what that means… 🙄

meh, ferdinand is a drug cheat anyhow.

crouch – “had a great year at stoke”, that says it all

good to see hodgson not willing to go back on the decisions of richards/carrick, they wanna throw their teddys, thats up to them

What I find inexplicable is why John Terry was even in the frame in the first place! He’s shite! Ignoring the fact that he’s a nasty, monumentally arrogant, racist thug, WTF has he done this season? His contribution to winning the champions league consisted of getting sent off for a typical piece of brain-dead stupidity, then suspended for the final. Yeah… Cheers for that, his team-mates obviously thought. You ****ing moron! They won it in spite of him. Why the **** would any manager want him on their squad? He’s a liability!!!

I look forward to him immediately adopting thd role of de facto captain as soon as he gets out there. How many days before he calls a press conference to voice his moronic opinions, and blame the rest of tge team, the manager and the fans? After they’ve lost the first game perhaps?

He’s an utter ****ing ****!!! And should be thd last person on earth representing this country

Oops! Double post!

Eloquently put binners. I agree with every sentiment.

I am simply amazed that these players wont allow themselves to be on standby/reserve list. F’ck em – would never let em play again. Thick as 5hit.

The standby list is a stupid idea, you are not part of the squad, so you can’t travel and train with them. Your club is taking a rest at the end of the season, so you can’t train with them. But you have to stay match fit somehow training by yourself.

There should just be an expanded squad with no backup options.

He is useless …

It was worth saying twice Binners

didn’t fergie say that rio can’t play 2 games in 4 days ? guy’s too old and he’s had his time.

it’s a non argument.
he said this after a chat with Hodgson when Hodgson probably said he was not including Rio. there is a view that he said it in defence of Rio rather than as an attack after he knew.

For me the non inclusion of Richards was daft, Jones is good as back up “versatile”, not good enough yet in any position, choice,Richards is ready now and a better player than johnson let alone Jones IMHO.

Once injuries hit it was no longer a footballing decision. I find it hard to believe anyone [ Lodders aside given the teams involved]would rather have Kelly on the bench than Rio.
I cannot see that it is about football reasons now though it could have been initially.
I agree with innocent till proven guilty but a senior player being charged with racism representing his country, or Captain under Capello whilst the FA , rightly, complain about the racist fans in the countries they are going to and whether they are appropriate to host the games…and they wonder why everyone else hates them in FIFA.

Binners – agree that Terry has room to improve as regards his all round likeability, but his primary issue is lack of intelligence. I doubt his team mates would put up with him if he were a racist. Having said that, we all saw what he called Ferdinand – vile thing to say in the heat of the match but surely more stupidity than proof of racist tendencies?

On ability alone, he deserves his place. If we judged them all on behaviour, we wouldn’t have a team: –

Cole “Only 55k grand a week!!”
Gerrard “Self-defence with 7 mates”
Rooney “No gran is safe”

etc etc

What I find inexplicable is why John Terry was even in the frame in the first place! He’s shite

I don’t thnk he is, however, all of our players seem to be left lacking once you remove them from the safety of the premier league. It may well be seen as the greatest league in the world, this last season has shown it as a very exciting one, but technically, we may struggle.

There’s a common denominator in all of this – the narrow eyed “ne’er do well” Terry.

He was a major disruption at the World Cup (although Bridge had already split up with the girl, but what Mrs Terry thinks is altogether more important). He has been disruptive at Chelsea for the last five or six years. He is poison, plain and simple.

He’s now succeeded in putting Hodgson in a fix. It was inevitable that one of the defenders would get injured, meaning that the decision to leave Ferdinand out would be exposed for what it is – a Terry-caused ‘political’ decision.

When will someone in Football stand up and say, I haven’t picked Barton / Terry etc because he’s a turd and he disgraces the shirt he plays in?

There are many problems with all this Terry/Rio thing but I think Fergie is right, Rio has struggled fitness wise and that’s a definite negative against him. But I don’t think Terry should be there as this court case is definitely going to bite Roy in the arse if Terry is found guilty, which I believe he will. The whole saga stinks and will do British football no good whatsoever. The inclusion of the Liverpool lads is mind boggling and I’m a Liverpool supporter. One thing about the Carroll/Crouch thing is and I’m a massive Crouch fan, is Crouchie gives too many free-kicks away with his arms when the balls played to him and Euro refs will blow up all the time against him now. This was clear in Stokes fabulous Europa Cup run.
Richards by the way has declined to go as he didn’t want be picked as a back-up, hence him not being asked to go.

given the teams involved

😐

Jeez. Couldn’t let it go.

Maybe Hodgson favours Terry as our far-right ambassador in the Ukraine and Poland. From what I’ve seen, it looks like he’d go down a storm in Lviv – the ‘capital’ of Ukrainian nationalism. It some kind of nationalism as well, Ukraine being one of ‘those’ countries which have always has a mainstream far-right (along with Croatia and the Flanders part of Belgium and others).

Maybe the England team are going to arrive in open-top Mercedes with Terry stood bolt upright in the lead car, inspecting the supporters…..

Think you are forgetting someone?

I feel sorry for the likes of Grant Holt, he’s been outstanding for Norwich this season and he was one of the top scoring Englishman in the premier league.

given the teams involved

Jeez. Couldn’t let it go.
I seem to be in good company 😉