Fabio names squad for the Swiss roll!

Monday, 23 May 2011

Fabio Capello has named his squad to face Switzerland at Wembley.

Fabio Capello has named a 26-man squad to face Switzerland in a Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley.

Bobby Zamora and Rio Ferdinand return to the squad for the first time in 2011, while there is also a recall for Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick.

Wayne Rooney is suspended for the qualifier with the Swiss, so Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Bobby Zamora are the forward options.

England squad in full:

Scott Carson, Joe Hart, David Stockdale

Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, John Terry, Kyle Walker

Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young

Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Bobby Zamora

FIFA give us our game back!

I have resisted the temptation on more than one occasion to submit my feelings over the recent voting fiasco to print. No matter how much we can all insist that we are writing from a moral position it will always seem and feel like one of sour grapes. And now doubt this article will be accused of falling into that particular category although I hasten to add I do so with the best of intentions. However I do feel the points I am about to make are relevant and therefore I am going to make them!

Interestingly, Uli Hoeness, now president of Bayern Munich after a long and distinguished playing and administrative career with the club,  speaking to the German magazine Sport Bild said last week:

"I think Mr. Blatter and the others responsible have to begin asking themselves whether it can carry on like this," Hoeness said in reference to the selection of Russia and Qatar as hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.

"It is a scandal how things are being done there. Clearly, these days a candidate can only be successful when additional payments are made under the table. Here I have to say that football's good image is being ruined.

"It's time the strong federations from Germany, England, Spain or France start to clean things up." 

So, at the moment I appear to be in good company, if Uli Hoeness can speak quite openly about FIFA's shortcomings then so can I. But lets look at the issues as I see them;

The recent voting, any  corruption allegations put to one side, was based on several criteria which all bidding nations had to comply with, failure to do so would render your bid as weak or inferior. But yet that criteria was totally ignored when the voting took place. What's the point of having to submit a very expensive technical bid if its then ignored? Why rank two countries bids as being 'at risk' and then award them the prize? It beggars belief!

FIFA have now stated that in their view their role is to expand the game and take it into new areas. But if that's the main criteria why wasn't it listed as such? And if it is the main criteria then why is it? FIFA's income streams are wholly from TV rights for its major competitions, so surely a successful World Cup from an established footballing nation makes more sense. Well it does if you compare any country with Qatar. What legacy, or match experience or anything resembling a successful World Cup will be achieved in holding the competition in a country the size of a postage stamp? I hear the arguments, I just don't see the logic. Expect the next few World Cups to see a decline in the travelling support of the major nations, Brazil too far and too expensive, Russia too big and without any hospitality or attraction and Doha (Qatar) as big as my back garden, although a lot hotter! Get that armchair ready, I'm joining everybody else.

FIFA, Corruption and Andrew Jennings

So far we've tried to keep politics and match reports away from this blog, but as you all know its been a bit slow on the news front, so;

You have to take your hat off to the persistent reporting by Andrew Jennings and his brass neck style. He knows full well that the FIFA executive hate the sight of him yet he still turns up at their meetings, still sticks his face in front of theirs and still asks the same questions. One of these days he's going to get a result, its almost written is it not? Surprising though, or maybe not, the main protagonists are from Brazil, Trinidad & Tobago and Thailand. Now in our pursuit of the tarnished prize of World Cup hosting where did we go for one of our illustrious friendlies, that's right T&T, and where did we plan to go? Right again, Thailand!

Why doesn't Andrew investigate those two trips? As any right minded England fan knew we weren't going to T&T and Thailand for the quality of the football. Lets see, where else did we go? Of course, we visited Doha for a friendly against Brazil, yet another country implicated by Andrew in his recent transmission.

Interestingly the Trinidad & Tobago's Newsday, 'The People's Newspaper' chooses to focus on Lord Triesman, or Friesman as they call him, and the FA's refusal to vote in the upcoming elections for FIFA President. The FA have taken their particular stance because of corruption allegations and a lack of confidence in both candidates. The T&T paper suggests that the allegations should be withdrawn quickly because every man is innocent until proven guilty and, on top of that, the slur against Warner is damaging to the T&T economy! How ludicrous! Judging by Andrew Jennings reporting the easiest way to resolve all the problems with the T&T economy would be to remove Warner and allow the funds to find the pockets they were intended for. This story will run and run, hold on to your hats!