AS England’s finest limber up in the tunnel for the first time, waiting for the Wembley roar on Friday night, I cast my eye along the team and wonder where on Earth all the Gooners have got to?
They may have a squad of internationals down the Emirates, but not one hails from Blighty. Does the fact Arsene Wenger does not rate our spotted youth mean young English players are simply no good?
And if so, should we start running international football along the lines of those strange friendlies of yesteryear, when a Select XI of League Division Three (South) took on their Italian counterparts?
It could be our only hope of glory. Can you imagine the side? A Premiership XI would win the World Cup, no bother. We’ve got the money. All we’d have to do is buy, buy, buy and hey presto, open top buses round Trafalgar Square, here we-jolly-well come.
Does it bug the Gooners that they haven’t got any Lions? You betcha. My mate, who dressed up as Captain England for the previous World Cup, with face paints and a St George flag over his shoulders, doesn’t think so.
I quote: “Why are you bringing that up? I hate England! They are rubbish! I don’t want any of my team to play for them anyway!”
The rattle was lobbed, Nayim-style, well and truly out of the pram. But if it wasn’t so funny because it winds up the Gooners, I’d agree with him.
It is a global game now and frankly, when Didier Zokora pulls on a Spurs shirt, he’s all N17 and I don’t care where he comes from.
However, I am chuffed that Spurs have so many Three Lions on their books, simply because Arsenal don’t.
When David Seaman was lobbed from distance by Ronaldinho I giggled, despite the fact it meant we were out of the World Cup.
The bottom line is this, and I’ll repeat it: Arsenal don’t have one player in the England squad, and although it might not be good for the national side that a top four team is completely English-less, at least it means I can support Steve McClaren’s team without flinching.
Is he right? What do you think? To let us know your views just email us at:
sports@camdennewjournal.
