Fabio Capello has announced his squad for Wednesday’s friendly with France and one name in the squad will certainly cause England fans to raise an eyebrow. Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd has received a surprise call-up and while it is a fitting reward for the 28-year-old’s impressive start to the season, it does make you think […]

Included in this squad were seven players who are currently available for selection by Championship sides, either as part of their permanent squad or on loan deals from Premier League sides. This is a great opportunity for each of these players and shows that despite the dominance of the Premier League in high level youth development, there is still a role to be played by the Championship in this area.

Newcastle United may have slipped to a disappointing home defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers, but their star striker Andy Carroll did manage to enhance is ever-growing reputation with another goal. Carroll’s equaliser was his seventh goal of the season, a tally that will surely be enough to see him named in the England […]

Steven Gerrard gave us all a timely reminder of his quality with a stunning hat-trick to help Liverpool overcome a stubborn Napoli side. Will this performance mark the general return to form of midfielder and could he be the inspiration for another England star to return to form? We all know the ability that Gerrard […]

When the United States dropped its bid for the 2018 World Cup, it was seen as a move to placate FIFA's desire to have the World Cup held that year in soccer's birthplace (literally, if England wins the bid). By doing so, it also allowed the U.S. to be seen as the prohibitive favorite to […]

It wasn't the result I broke the bank and traveled across the Atlantic Ocean for, but Tuesday's 0-0 between England and Montenegro was the experience I so desired as months of planning and patience finally paid off. Beautiful Wembley stadium, the tube to Wembley Park station, a cool October evening, and enough English journalists to […]

After a disappointing draw to Montenegro, do England need to look at football from the olden days to gain success? On a serious note the draw was a very poor result for England, but I think there must be a sense of reality added to the score. Without a doubt Montenegro were the toughest of […]

Wayne Rooney will continue his bid to find form when he lines up for England against Montenegro Tuesday. In normal circumstances I have no doubt that Rooney would have pulled out of Fabio Capello’s squad for the game at Wembley, after missing the last few United games through injury, But with Sir Alex Ferguson desperate […]

Trevor Brooking has today claimed that Steve McClaren could one day return as the manger of the England side. With Fabio Capello already stating that he will leave his position with the FA after the 2012 European Championships, and the FA insisting that an Englishmen will replace him, could ‘The Wally with the Brolly’ really […]

It’s not often a regular 20 goal a season Premier League striker isn’t seen as a regular for the England side, but Darren Bent has bucked the trend with his continued failure to break through on to the international scene. Since arriving at Sunderland last summer, Bent’s goal scoring record has been nothing short of […]

West Brom fans will today display a banner in support of Osaze Odemwingie after the striker received a sick racist taunt from ‘supporters’ at his former club Lokomotiv Moscow. Baggies fans will have a created a banner which will read “Thanks Lokomotiv”. The touching gesture is in retaliation to the "Thanks West Brom" banner that featured […]

For years on end managers across the country have sent their players away to represent their country and spent the whole time of their absence praying they all return fit and well. But after a week that saw several big name players pick up injuries while playing for their country, the pressure from managers for […]

With Fabio Capello insisting that he won’t manage England past the 2012 European Championships, names are already been branded about as a possible successor to the Italian. But with the FA proudly boasting that their next manager will be English there is hardly a wealth of managers to choose from. Early contenders are Harry Redknapp, […]

England continued their perfect run in Euro 2012 qualification on Tuesday night with an impressive 3-1 win away to Switzerland. Before the match, a clash of world class club managers was touted as the main story line as Fabio Capello faced off against Ottmar Hitzfeld. Between the two, three Champions League trophies are shared, while […]

When Shaun Wright Phillips appeared as second half substitute against Switzerland, he was probably hoping that an impressive display could kick-start his club season. But things didn’t go according to plan for the Manchester City winger and a below par display was topped off with a woeful cross that eluded Darren Bent and infuriated boss […]