[Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/6694743.stm


So it looks like McGrin has bit the bullet, decided he's a crap manager and made a crap decision pabbing Beckham in the first place.


The only major suprise here is that hes actually swallowed his pride.


Surely no one doubts David Beckham is one of the best 23 outfield english footballers?

Whether he plays or not; i am not sure. That was part of the problem McLaren had i guess; being unable to drop him from the team without dropping him from the squad. But now that he's had some time out; he doesnt own a starting shirt any more.

I have to say i like Beckham. I think hes a generally good, honest guy who gives his all. I also really appreciate that he's bucked the trend of the modern sportsman and when he was dropped from the squad, he didnt announce his international retirement - he buckled down and said he'd get back in the squad - and congratulations, he has. I thoroughly dislike rich sportsmen retiring at 30 - or in the case of female tennis players, 25 or some shit. You should do the Gascoigne Merson route (no, not drink and drugs) - playing until you cant move, and until absolutely nobody will have you.


Goalkeepers: Robinson (Tottenham), Carson (Liverpool), Green (West Ham).

Defenders: P Neville (Everton), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Carragher (Liverpool), Dawson (Tottenham), King (Tottenham), Shorey (Reading).

Midfielders: Beckham (Real Madrid), Gerrard (Liverpool), Jenas (Tottenham), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Bentley (Blackburn), Carrick (Man Utd), Lampard (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough), Dyer (Newcastle).

Forwards: Crouch (Liverpool), Owen (Newcastle), Smith (Man Utd), Defoe (Tottenham).


I've also got to tell you; what a weak squad.

GK : Robinson had a better 2nd half to the season after a bombscare first half. Green was absolutely excellent for West Ham in their escape and deserves his recall. But Carson? Ahead of Foster? I dont think so.

DF : No real recognised and tested Right back. Same old problem - lots of great center halfs (terry carra rio) with very good ones in reserve (dawson brown king, with woodgate injured). Struggling a bit for full backs.

MF : Jenas, Dyer, Downing - also rans. Not worth england squad places. Bentley is long overdue a call up to the full squad and should get a chance some time soon. But carrick and lampard, the less than dynamic duo will be too busy wasting space in the team

FW : Defoe has lost his edge, Crouch is a great option off the bench - but not a starter. It isnt 2002 any more Michael owen.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

no hargreaves :(

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

GK: Gordon (Hearts), McGregor (Rangers), Turner (Everton);

DF: Alexander (Preston), Anderson (Aberdeen), Caldwell (Celtic), Hutton (Rangers), McEveley (Derby), McManus (Celtic), Naysmith (Everton), Pressley (Celtic), Weir (Rangers);

MF: Adam (Rangers), Brown (Hibernian), Ferguson (Rangers), Fletcher (Manchester United), Hartley (Celtic), McCulloch (Wigan), Teale (Derby);

FW: Beattie (Celtic), Boyd (Rangers), O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow), Maloney (Aston Villa), Miller (Celtic).


Thats the Scotland Squad. Mostly right i think, McLeish is finally moving the squad in the right direction. We got rid of Christian Dailly - finally. He's been worse than dead weight for 3 years now and kept making the squads. We've also been lucky with Injuries too - losing James McFadden sucks but if it means no Nigel Quashie or Graeme Murty, i'd probably make that trade.


Theres definitely a lot of also rans in the squad (Graham Alexander, Gary Naysmith, Paul Hartley, Lee McCulloch) and a lot of players that are getting a little bit past it and are on their final chances at international level. But theres reason to be optimistic.

Gordon

McEveley
McManus
Weir
Hutton

Adam
Ferguson
Superfletch
Brown

Boyd
Miller

is the core of a decent team i reckon. There are obvious holes in it; and even more politics than the ****ing england team in terms of who plays or not - more than likely McManus will not play despite being CLEARLY scotlands best center half. Miller will probably play despite his appalling strike rate and complete lack of ability in front of goal - because his workrate is brilliant. Unlike boyd. Who stands and does nothing for 89 minutes but you're almost guarenteed a goal from him, its a horribly frustrating trade off and a very strange strikeforce.

There are a few players (Riordan, Whittaker, and even more so Barry Robson) that are unlucky to have missed out but Im generally quite optimistic though; like i say. In a half year or so, injuries allowing, i would be very happy to see a scotland teamsheet that read:

Boyd O'Connor
McFadden Ferguson Fletcher Brown
Smith McManus Kennedy Hutton
Gordon

With Turner, Pressley, Adam, Maloney, Miller

Barring more horrible groups involving the two finalists from the ****ing world cup thats a team that could most definitely get to a ****ing major final for the first time since 98. Scotland has a lot of good prospects now that need to come good; but things are looking ok in theory.

Sadly the practice is Caldwell will play, as will Paul Hartley - the Scottish Frank Lampard :(

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

I think the recall for Beckham shows how desperate McLaren is rather than reflects anything on the talent of Beckham, as he was one of our top 23 players before he got picked. Unless of course Beckham has decided he will last til 2010 in that case McLaren has abandoned any kind of game plan to try and save his job.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Seriously. What?

Hargreaves was without a doubt the best English player at the World Cup, keeping him out of the squad is ridiculous.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

What on earth Jermaine "Complete Passenger" Jenas and Kieron Dyer by name dire by nature are doing in the squad ahead of hargreaves is beyond me. He's not fantastic but he's a damn sight better than those two.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Weir over Anderson is the biggest joke in this thread, does your Glaswegian provincialism know no bounds?

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Is he injured? Or just too busy signing for Man Utd.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Still no Barry...

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

barry's an also ran.

Deffeh accused of being pro-rangers complete shocker

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

couse McClaren is utter shit?

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

im sure hargreaves must be injured, or something; he wouldnt be left out of the squad by choice. even by McGrin

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Hargreaves has a knee injury.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

i thought he had got over that by the end of the season?

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

That at least explains that. Incidentally has anyone ever read a terry butcher article on bbc sport where they didn't think "this man is a complete prat"?


PS I hope "woeful celtic squad somehow win double" is a headline tomorrow.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Bit dissapointed that Steve Howard didnt get the call from Scotland.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Nope, he missed the last few games of Bayern's season with it. Not that it mattered to them of course.

He's a very injury prone player :(

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

I'm sorry but what does "an also ran" mean?

I watched the England B match, Barry was class first 60 minutes, popping up everywhere, creating chances and in general being a quality player on the field.

Jermaine Jenas is gash.

How Barry doesn't get into the England squad, I don't know. He has had an outstanding season.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

What? Playing well against Angola doesn't get you into the main England squad?

What is the world coming to? :confused:

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

yeah, it was albania though. good work chelseaboy.

Hes not good enough for england.

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

that's really disappointing as I was afraid I would get it wrong. So I looked at the BBC and typed the wrong one regardless. :crymeariver:

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

What about the atmosphere in the dressing room? How akward will it be to have the ex-captain back?

When was the last time the captain changed without a player retiring?

Re: [Football] Beckham returns to england squad
 

Tony Adams -> Alan Shearer i think, because Adams got injured for a while? not 100% on that

Terrible terrible win terrible terrible more like :(