Injury Time: Englands Miracle Men Make Me Sick!

 

Having sifted through thousands of words blaming McClarens ineptidude, the pitch, the youth structure, Brian Barwick, The FA , those pesky Croatians just being too good, poor Scott “Lamb to the Slaughter” Carson, gutless overpaid players, Wayne “One Foot” Bridge the endless list goes on and on and agreeing that it was hopeless; I had an epiphany on Saturday evening watching Match Of The Day.

Could that really be Rio Ferdinand playing for Man Utd against Bolton? I must be seeing things he wasn’t fit for England. Then clear as day was John Terry and Ashley Cole turning out for Chelsea in their vital match against the mighty Derby County? “Keep off the Stella Dave” I mused, you’re halucinating next it will be UFO’s and celestial beings. No I wasn’t halucinating read this and dismiss all other reasons for Englands inability to draw against Croatia.

THREE QUARTERS OF ENGLANDS FIRST CHOICE DEFENCE WERE FIT ENOUGH TO PLAY FOR THEIR CLUBS LESS THAN THREE DAYS AFTER BEING DECLARED UNFIT FOR ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????

Analysis required:

1/ Who decided Rio, The Skipper and Ashley weren’t fit for Wednesday? We must assume it was their clubs as surely England would have got them on the pitch somehow in a game of that importance. If they weren’t fit then England don’t need to look for a new manager they just need to employ the medical wizards that got these injured stars fit in 72 hours! That way never again would we have to line up with inferior reserves in such a vital game.

2/ Who questioned their lack fitness? We must assume that Steve McClaren tried everything to get his best team out for his career defining match. Did he phone Fergie? Did he question Rio’s medical report? If not why not? Did Brian Barwick or anyone at the FA insist that their own medical staff decided whether the 3 musketeers really were unable to play? We know the answer of course they didn’t, they meekly backed away bowing and scraping and accepted that they weren’t fit.

3/ Did Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole insist that they were fit and that they wanted to play? John Terry makes a lot of noise about how important playing for England is, sorry John that’s bollocks! If the games were reversed i.e. Chelsea on the Wednesday and England on the Saturday I guarantee they would have played for their clubs then dropped out for England at the weekend.

This is the absolute crux of the England teams demise, it stands firmly in second place behind the clubs as a priority. It won’t change and we have to accept it. There is no doubt that Englands best 14 players could have gained a draw with Croatia whoever was in charge, the other issues remain and will continue to hurt England in future qualifying games. McClaren is an idiot, media trained to say and do nothing but his hands were tied. Unless we get someone with a backbone (Harry Redknapp is my personal preference) who will stand up to self serving Premiership managers and egotistical mis informed players then we are doomed to failure again and again.

These three miracles of modern medical science should never be selected for England again as a warning that being Englands number 3, 5 and 6 is not a given commercial opportunity. I would rather watch a team of players who want to play for England failing nobly a la Scotland than this bunch of underachievers treating England as a photoshoot and not the huge privelege it is.