The Final England Squad

[LeChuck]

I'm pleased to see Warnock get the nod - he deserved his chance whilst with us, but the FA policy since 1996 of not picking BRFC players until they've left probably did for that

That's not true. In fact, the reverse is true for Bentley. Sad fact is we haven't had many good enough in that time.

Warnock has only got his chance because of what happened with Wayne Bridge, otherwise he would have been overlooked. I think he was behind Baines until his awful display against Mexico too.

[laughatthedingles]

Apologies all the numbers I previously posted were off an untrusted website, these are the confirmed numbers by the fa:

1 David James; 2 Glen Johnson; 3 Ashley Cole; 4 Steven Gerrard; 5 Rio Ferdinand; 6 John Terry; 7 Aaron Lennon; 8 Frank Lampard; 9 Peter Crouch; 10 Wayne Rooney; 11 Joe Cole; 12 Robert Green; 13 Stephen Warnock; 14 Gareth Barry; 15 Matthew Upson; 16 James Milner; 17 Shaun Wright-Phillips; 18 Jamie Carragher; 19 Jermain Defoe; 20 Ledley King; 21 Emile Heskey; 22 Michael Carrick; 23 Joe Hart.

[Ricky]

Interesting that James gets the number one shirt.

[speeeeeeedie]

Apologies all the numbers I previously posted were off an untrusted website, these are the confirmed numbers by the fa:

1 David James; 2 Glen Johnson; 3 Ashley Cole; 4 Steven Gerrard; 5 Rio Ferdinand; 6 John Terry; 7 Aaron Lennon; 8 Frank Lampard; 9 Peter Crouch; 10 Wayne Rooney; 11 Joe Cole;

Here is your 11 for the USA game. When Barry comes back I'd expect either crouch or Joe Cole to be dropped.

[JAL]

Watching skys pictures of the England team being greeted at their hotel, one couldnt help but feel what a tot, top man, Fabio Capello is and what an excellent ambassador he is for our nation.

The relaxed, confident, assured, immaculately dressed manner of the guy was there for all to see. I struggle to find the words that gave me such immense pride to have such a quality man leading us.

[Seggie]

Watching skys pictures of the England team being greeted at their hotel, one couldnt help but feel what a tot, top man, Fabio Capello is and what an excellent ambassador he is for our nation.

The relaxed, confident, assured, immaculately dressed manner of the guy was there for all to see. I struggle to find the words that gave me such immense pride to have such a quality man leading us.

This is why I feel we will do well at the World Cup, I don't think we will win it but I believe his values will get us far in the competition. You can also tell when he is speaking or just from pictures of him working that he considers representing our nation an honour and that he expects his players to do the same.

We may not agree on some of the selections he has made; or like the way we play; or in some cases he is not an Englishman but he oozes quality as a leader. I personally have respect for how he is trying to play down his contract get out clause in the media and looks likely to stay after the World Cup.

[Balwer]

Watching skys pictures of the England team being greeted at their hotel, one couldnt help but feel what a tot, top man, Fabio Capello is and what an excellent ambassador he is for our nation.

The relaxed, confident, assured, immaculately dressed manner of the guy was there for all to see. I struggle to find the words that gave me such immense pride to have such a quality man leading us.

To me as an outsider the one thing that tarnishes his reputation is the Fantasy Football index thing he's doing on the side. I am surprised that the English press didn't crucify more for that, god knows that McLaren and co would have been. He gets put up on a huge pedestal, the acid test of course will be after the World Cup. All he's done to date is qualify. New Zealand did that too, and their manager gets 25K a year.

[JAL]

To me as an outsider the one thing that tarnishes his reputation is the Fantasy Football index thing he's doing on the side. I am surprised that the English press didn't crucify more for that, god knows that McLaren and co would have been. He gets put up on a huge pedestal, the acid test of course will be after the World Cup. All he's done to date is qualify. New Zealand did that too, and their manager gets 25K a year.

Agree Balwer about the fantasy football index thing, but surely this must have initially been done by others seeking to use Capello to promote it one would have thought. Quickly, the allround condemnation from the press caused the FA and Capello to play down this index thing.

Fabio Capello though simply doesnt have the ingredients at his disposal to enable England to win this tournament no matter which way anyone wants to 'bull up' the players that are there. If he did manage to achieve the unthinklable then he'll have deserved all the plaudits that will come his way.

Hes a winner, now you cant say that about any of our Tottenham or West Ham lads can we, those ingredients that he has to work with.

[bellamy11]

To me as an outsider the one thing that tarnishes his reputation is the Fantasy Football index thing he's doing on the side. I am surprised that the English press didn't crucify more for that, god knows that McLaren and co would have been. He gets put up on a huge pedestal, the acid test of course will be after the World Cup. All he's done to date is qualify. New Zealand did that too, and their manager gets 25K a year.

The overreaction to that index is farcical. The way it was initially reported made it sound like he would have a clipboard and submit his ratings for all our players after the games. All he has done is assist with his ideas for an index that the creators presumably think will be more helpful than Opta.

[Mr. E]

Interesting that James gets the number one shirt.

It is insane. Paul Robinson is England's best goalkeeper, with Hart in second place...yet pensioner bottom-of-the-table twice-relegated James will start? What is Capello thinking?

[JAL]

It is insane. Paul Robinson is England's best goalkeeper, with Hart in second place...yet pensioner bottom-of-the-table twice-relegated James will start? What is Capello thinking?

When Jamie O'hara hit a slow, slow, 25 yarder into the bottom left hand corner of the Blackburn end net, you couldnt really say he is Englands number one keeper, to do so would deeply embarass us all.

[Mr. E]

When Jamie O'hara hit a slow, slow, 25 yarder into the bottom left hand corner of the Blackburn end net, you couldnt really say he is Englands number one keeper, to do so would deeply embarass us all.

Making one or two mistakes a season is hardly an embarrassment. And what exactly has James done that has been better?

[joey_big_nose]

Making one or two mistakes a season is hardly an embarrassment. And what exactly has James done that has been better?

I don't know, James has had as good a season as Robinson. Problem is all the keepers have had okay season, but no one has really stood out. A bit sad really if you consider the pedigree of English keepers over the decades.

This is the problem for England - produce quite a lot of good players but all seemingly in the same areas. We used to moan back in Venables' and Hoddle's day about the "difficult left wing problem" but now we seem to have graduated to a "difficult left wing, Keeper and target man" question.

A wealth of talent in central midfield, central defence and behind the striker, decent full backs and right wingers, but in the other positions we are a bit embarassed considering how good our league is. What we would do for a Seaman and a Shearer right now.

[tcj_jones]

James should be England no.1, Robinson no.2, and Hart no.3. I'll be happy if James starts against the USA.

[BuckyRover]

Shearer (9) and Rooney (10).

Imagine that

[trueblue]

I'm just so disappointed in Cappello taking bloody Emile Heskey

[SouthAussieRover]

I'm just so disappointed in Cappello taking bloody Emile Heskey

Why?

[Hughesy]

Why?

You do the maths!!

[DanLad]

Hart is England's best GK, IMHO.

England's odds of winning the lot should be 100 to 1. Anything else is a rip off.

Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for the lads, but I just can't see it...unless we majorly fluke it!

[LeChuck]

Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for the lads, but I just can't see it...unless we majorly fluke it!

Only chance is if Rooney has 7 games like he did for Man Utd in his purple patch this season. He could win it for us if he does that.

[Hughesy]

If the likes of Rooney & Lampard can hit top form then we will always have a chance - cant see it happening to be honest, but heres hoping!

Think Argentina or Germany look very dangerous!

[tcj_jones]

I think it would be a better bet relying on getting dodgy penalties in every match of the tournament than relying on Lampard to have a stormer.

In the Premier League he is one of the world's best. On an international stage, however, he is simply mediocre.

[jodrell]

SSN saying Ferdinand is out,

[Rovermatt]

Drogba's out too. The top players are dropping like flies.

[Hughesy]

So out goes Ferdinand - looks like one of those not selected will go to the world cup afterall!!