Football Warning – Ferdinand, race or ability?

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. I thought similar when I first saw Carroll had been selected ahead of Holt, but let’s be honest there is no way that Grant Holt should be playing international football. I mean it’s desperate measures up front for England but I’m not sure it’s quite Grant Holt-desperate. At least not yet.

I seem to be in good company

Nah mate, you’re out on your own. Try not to let the teams they play for cloud your judgement on this. Poor lodders hadn’t even contributed to the thread and yet you couldn’t help yourself. Unless there are more injuries to the defensive line up, Rio’s not going. Sorry. 🙁

Its not just Rio. Terry is likely to be playing alongside Lescott, who’s had a great season, but apparently thinks – correctly – that Terry is a racist ****, and has made no secret of the fact. And I’m sure he’s not alone in the squad in that opinion. On top of his previous ‘form’, his racism should have been the final nail in the coffin of his international career.

If it was me, that ridiculous vainglorious press conference in South Africa would have been the end of it, as it raises the obvious question; just who the hell does he think he is? Bigger than the England squad, obviously. Any manager worth the name would have ended his England career there and then!!

Terry: slow, bad back, prone to bookings, seemingly racist and a ****.

Rio: trading on past glories, will never play every game, nowhere near as quick as he was and his agent’s a ****. Rightly left behind IMO

Hodgson: Pretty much fresh from “losing the dressing room” at Anfield and here to build a team for 2 or 4 years time. The other odd selections, we can forgive – just one question: WTF is that **** Terry doing there ??

Try not to let the teams they play for cloud your judgement on this

did I not do that when I praised Richards and said Jones was not good enough?I find it hard to believe that for a short tournament and needing a squad player/cover for your defenders you would pick kelly over Rio or Rochards. Its hard to make a good case for picking Kelly over Rio. I would pick Terry ahead of Kelly I think he is a **** and not that great a player but heis better than kelly.
I would have cloudy judgement if I thought Carrick should go before Gerrard

DannyH and Binners-I commend you both for high quality posting, consider yourselves awarded imaginary repped.

CB-Liverpool fans are described as ‘ambulance attackers’ because they attacked the ambulance that Alan Smith was in when he was taken to hospital having broken his leg at Anfield.

CB-Liverpool fans are described as ‘ambulance attackers’ because they attacked the ambulance that Alan Smith was in when he was taken to hospital having broken his leg at Anfield.

Thank you for your classy contribution to the thread.

Hodgson: Pretty much fresh from “losing the dressing room” at Anfield and here to build a team for 2 or 4 years time. The other odd selections, we can forgive – just one question: WTF is that **** Terry doing there ??

To be fair to Roy there has to be an element of keeping his powder dry. He must know that he’s dealing with a four-headed monster of fail in the form of Lampard, Gerrard, Terry and Ferdinand, but there’s no value in a mass clear out at this moment in time.
As satisfying as it would be to hear Roy say ‘Lamps, Stevie, JT, Rio – there’s a new sherrif in town and you can all get tae f_k’ he just doesn’t have the personnel available to make that move, esp in midfield. That, and the press would be camped up his ringpiece 24/7.
Better to avoid that drama, broach the issue by sitting Rio down, Lampard and Barry drop out in the course of events and go from there. Pray that Wiltshire and Rodwell get fit again for the future. At least I have no other idea why he would choose to hold his nose and pick Terry to play.

This is a man who selected Downing, though. Every time I think Roy might know what he’s doing I remind myself of that fact.

Never rated Ferdinand – he ball watches too much and gets caught out. Plus the way he acted after ‘that’ missed drug test was atrocious.

Hodgson should build a new team completely. All under 22, most under 20. Look at the Germans at the last Word Cup – they were brilliant.

No point keeping the older players – they weren’t good enough the last few years, why would they be now? Cant think of one of the older players apart from Gerrard who I would want to keep.

Garry L – I agree on not dumping them all, but Terry is the most gobby, opinionated, disruptive and destabilising of the lot*. If I had to keep a centre half out of the 2 I’d have Rio, if I was RH.

* and he’s a ****

I find it interesting how the different standards and rules are applied/broken at different levels along the food chain, and basic expediency always seems to win through to the detriment of good taste.

Terry is heavily alleged to have used racist insults against Anton Ferdinand. The footage doesn’t leave much to the imagination – even if you can’t lip-read. Yet rather than say, “we can’t have this man in the squad with even the hint of this hanging over him”, it is argued as a kind of quasi civil rights case “you can’t exclude him until it is proven”. The irony of this is so tart, you can almost taste it. He then uses the ONLY possible schoolyard defence – “no Miss, you don’t understand, I was only saying to him not to worry because he isn’t really a black ****”. The whole thing is farcical. His track record speaks for itself, how he was still in the squad before all this kicked off is beyond me.

Then you have UEFA who claim a zero-tolerance to racism. Yet they implcitly admit there is a problem in Poland / Ukraine by touting their tournament as an ‘opportunity for them to address certain cultural issues’ or somesuch other management-speak dross.

I wish it were just Terry, but it isn’t. When Ashley Cole shoots someone with an airgun as a ‘prank gone wrong’ and then pays them to keep their mouth shut, no one seems to be all that bothered.

If I was the kid concerned, I would have taken his cash, signed whatever had been hastily drafted by Chelsea’s lawyers (or do they have multiple copies at the ready) and still grassed him to the police. That might have had some effect on Cole. As it is, problem gone away, no consequences, and ain’t it great being a footballer?

These people are paid over five times the average yearly wage PER WEEK, I do think a bit piety and self-control might be expected? And I don’t mean muttering occasionally about being ‘umbled’ when something happens.

As Mario Ballotelli asked:

“Why Me”

Answer: Because you’re a ****, no more, no less

I’ve had enough of this now – my bile is running low. No doubt something that happens over the next few weeks in Eastern Europe will top me up, though.

thered – haven’t you got anything to buy or sell? I understand now why you keep your posts limited to the classifieds…

Its hard to make a good case for picking Kelly over Rio

it wouldn’t surprise me if the decision to call up kelly rather than rio had something to do with the fact that hodgson also needs cover at right back after seeing jones’s woeful attempt in that berth against norway – not even close to being good enough.

And on it rumbles……… http://gu.com/p/385pk

It will never be proven Paulo, it’s obviously a major headache for the shambles that is the FA, Bernstein’s reaction to questioning on this issue is testimony to that.

The effect that this must be having on the squad will yet again lead to a poor tournament, there’s always some controversy around England.

CB-Surely you can come up with a better insult than that!?! That’s pretty pathetic. If you’re such a plastic fan that you don’t even know the facts about your own team, then I suggest that you google stuff before demonstrating your ignorance in future.

second article in two days by Sol Campbell – if all he is going to do it bitch and moan he should write for the Mail.

dammit – too slow for an edit.

I take it back Sol, but the article i read in the hard copy yesterday differs slightly from the one on the website. Consider yourself back on a verbal warning, currently.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the decision to call up kelly rather than rio had something to do with the fact that hodgson also needs cover at right back after seeing jones’s woeful attempt in that berth against norway – not even close to being good enough.

Aye you may well have a point but I would still say Richards and Rio and send Jones home TBH – he is not good enough yet IMHO and he is a squad player who is not good enough in any of his chosen positions [ RB, Defence or Midfield] to actually get on the pitch

Indeed Phil Jones is learning from Rio at club level right now, but yet at national level he has been selected above him. The situation is nuts and will look even more so should England collect any further injuries in defence.

Sol campbell
DD Long list of partisan Man u fans agreeing with me including Robbie Fowler 😛

Its hard to see this as anything other thna the effect of Terry being charged with a racist offence. Granted Roy may view him as a better player than terry but the omission is down to the incident.

Beggars belief the FA are lecturing the hosts on racism whilst having a squad member and former captain currenlty charged with a racist offence – you could not make it up.

Terrible article that by Campbell – the Guardian not doing him any favours there.

Kelly, Ability and potential. And attitude.
Easily a better right back than Jones (who I see as a class CB) and possibly than Johnson too. The season before last, he had the position at Liverpool ahead of Johnson and forced him to LB or the bench. Unfortunately injured for a lot of this season, but regaining fitness towards the end and pushed his way back into the team at RB again, moving GJ to LB and dropping Enrique. And his first position through the youth and reserve sides is CB, just plays RB so well too.
He’s a seriously good defender, will be even better for the next tournament, and would run through brick walls for his team and country. There is no chance he will let England down. That’s what’s important, not media hype generated by a “twitter star”.

However, Micah Richards is also a top RB and covers CB well enough too. He’s as good, and physically stronger, and IMO should be in the team. Only problem is his attitude (or maturity?) isn’t there yet and his toy throwing from the pram has left him on the naughty step when he should be establishing himself as a major force at an international tournament. Very good, but not as good as his own hype.
As for terry, he’s good with Cahill. As a partnership. On his own merits, and for pure football reasons, he’s not good enough as 1st choice anymore. And there’s a better “partnership” ready made and waiting.
England defence I’d have: Hart, Cole, Lescott, Jaglielka, Richards.
with: Baines, Jones, Terry, Kelly/Johnson as back up.

Edit:
TBH, really surprised that Hodgson has taken Glen Johnson as 1st choice too. At Liverpool, they didn’t get on and it was common belief that GJ was on the way out, not a Hodgson style player. GJ is more of a wing-back than a full back. Better going forward, and very handy in a 4-5-1 with a couple of def-mids to cover (ala Benitez’ teams) but caught out by being too adventurous in a Hodgson 442.

Every one seems to see Richards as throwing his toys out of the pram, when the reality seems to be that he has been rejected so many times when he deserved to be in the team that he couldn’t keep lifting himself to go back for more rejection.

And with his goals and assists this season, should have been chosen ahead of Downing on the wing, never mind in defence.

DD Long list of partisan Man u fans agreeing with me including Robbie Fowler

Still struggling to let it go JY. 😐

Poor Rio. 🙁

Both past their best, both ar**es IMO, both should have been left alone. On balance, Woy picked the wrong one though – but who knows what pressure he was under?

But, does it matter? We aren’t going to win.

But, does it matter? Terry is likely to insist on lifting the trophy regardless of who wins

Then the Ukranians hail him as their newest bestest leader so he doesnt have to come back and face criminal charges. win – win

For me Ferdinand is capable of a decent run but he lacks consistency / reliability (and is on the cusp of being in terminal decline). It would be no surprise if he lasted less than 90 mins of this tournament. SAF said as much and that is clearly what Roy has in mind. Terry is going the same way but is the more consistent / reliable of the two but he has massive baggage. It’s a awful predicament for Roy as there is a strong case not to take either but there is quite a gap in top level experience to our next best centre backs (arguments on what RF/JT ever achieved accepted).

The strong decision would be not to take either but that would leave you open to a press mauling. Lescott is a solid player as is Jagielka, that would be my first choice pair. I would take Richards as first choice right back and also providing CB cover. He was injured but has been fully fit / rested for a while now, massive error not picking him or persuading him to make himself available. He has a lingering doubt hanging over him which is underserved, whenever he has had a solid run in the team he just gets better and better – injuries and an outstanding squad have not helped his progression but he has to be one of the best young defenders available.

Phil Jones maybe as fourth choice centre back and it is already looking pretty weak, Anton Ferdinand and Titus Bramble start to look like options!

As above massive selection headache for Roy, I am fully behind his decision not to take RF (and I would also leave out JT as well) but he is getting all sorts of idiots criticising him and the press are having a field day.

Still struggling to let it go JY.

You keep replying to the thread so you still struggling to let it go too 😉
At least you have stopped trying to present it as pro Man u view, now I can let it go 😛

Woy picked

OH FFS rather tabloid using his supposed problem with R’s is it not 🙄

At least you have stopped trying to present it as pro Man u view, now I can let it go

But in your case, it is JY, clearly not others (thered apart). You addressed me, I did you the justice of a reply. That’s “not letting go”? You even tried to drag lodders in, even though he hasn’t contributed to the thread. When are you going to get over someone other than Rio being picked? He and Terry should both be at home, whatever about Ferdinand’s playing ability or fitness (which is clearly questionable), he’ll always be tainted as a drugs cheat for me (though, some have forgiven him for that and he served his ban. As for Terry, well I think he’s a **** as do many but that doesn’t seem to count for much these days.

I agree with you on Richards and can understand why you’d be anxious to show your non-partisan support for him. 🙂

FFS, Rooney’s going and England may well be out by the time he gets to play anyway.

Rooney will only get injured or sent off anyway. I wouldn’t have taken him due to mouthing off at the camera at the last world cup.

As said before, none of our ‘stars’ are anyway as good as they think they are, and most of them are bloody lazy

As said before, none of our ‘stars’ are anyway as good as they think they are, and most of them are bloody lazy

How would you motivate a 200k per week earner?

Whoa whoa whoa DeadlyDarcy, don’t drag me into your argument with Junkyard. You do seem desperate to bait other fans into arguing with you tho. Your response to my post above and the fact that Junkyard didn’t address you, his first post quoted Binners and you responded.

As it happens this is nothing to do with club loyalties, in fact I’m glad Rio’s not going. My objection is to the FA’s tacit condonement of Terry’s behaviour and their assumption that football fans are stupid enough to believe that one of the better centre halves in the country isn’t getting taken to a major tournament because his form/ability is too poor.

I feel sorry for Hodgson cos yet again the FA have shown themselves and the manager up, as somebody has already said, it’s no wonder that a body that can’t manage itself but feels it has the right to comment on everybody else’s business is so hated throughout the football community.

If it is purely a football decision, then there are questions to be asked about the selection of many others in that squad as has rightly been pointed out already. The whole thing stinks.

thered, my comment was at your reference to the “ambulance chasers”. Not looking to bait you at all, despite your biting anyway.

you baiting me then dude

SO i am partisan despite wanting richards, and despite thinking Jones is not good enough , I am not even English its not like I really even care

Your view would seem to be if I think I a Man u player is better than the alternative I am biased. When I say they are not as good as the alternatives I am what ?

I think the majority of commentators agree Ferdinand [ content of character and drug test no show aside *] should be there on merit alone. I assume you dont think sol campbell, Fowler, Van der vaart and others are all pro Man u so it may just be that I have a point and you are just goading/baiting for whatever reason.

*i would say you have a point here but feel I should play the characteristics you had ascribe to me and argue a bit about it …or not

To quote Balotelli Why always me? 😕
😉

i think that the whole fiasco has alleviated hodgson from having to explain why he’s only got one left footed midfielder in the squad and even he doesn’t look likely to start.

how the **** are you supposed to play keep ball when the only option for half of the midfield is to turn inside every time they have the ball ? this is what will kill us at the euros, not the absence of rio ferdinand.

Having just been watching Newsround – it’ll be the traveling that destroys us – 8000 miles for the first 3 games!