England Squad for Euro 2012

And so it's been announced - the England squad for Euro 2012.

No Rio Ferdinand (good), still a place for John Terry (bad), and wasting a place to allow the thug Rooney to play once his suspension has been lifted (bad).

Inclusion of Andy Carroll is a surprise but he has hit form recently.

A shame not more youngsters in my opinion.

Goalkeepers
Joe Hart, Robert Green, John Ruddy

Defenders
Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, John Terry

Midfielders
Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young

Strikers
Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck

Standby
Jack Butland, Phil Jagielka, Jordan Henderson, Adam Johnson, Daniel Sturridge.

COMMENT: Booing the National Anthem

There were a lot of tweets yesterday suggests that some of the crowd at the FA Cup Final at Wembley booed the National Anthem when it was played in the traditional pre-match build-up.



I was watching the match on television and hadn't noticed much in the way of booing. Certainly, though, the crowd didn't quieter down for the anthem.

There were suggestions that the booing came only from the Liverpool fans, but, unless you were in the stadium, I think that's impossible to judge.

There could be many reasons for booing the national anthem:

1) The later kick off time (5.15 rather than the traditional 3pm) probably gave fans more time to consume alcohol before they got to the ground.

2) Maybe football fans have had enough of the pointless traditions before the FA Cup Final which not only include someone (often a quasi- opera singer who they've never heard of) performing the National Anthem but also the old Christian hymn, Abide with Me.

3) It's possible that it wasn't made clear what was happening, and in the excitement of the event the fans continued chanting because they didn't realise it was anthem time.

4) The tide is turning and, in this Diamond Jubilee year, the public are starting to reject the notion of monarchy and privilege. Maybe they link the awful dirge-like French hymn tune with its requests to an imaginary superbeing to look after one person, and one person only, to be out of touch with the mood of a nation that has just electorally rejected the party of the privileged and wealthy.

5) Maybe the crowd were booing something (or someone) specific in the stadium - Suarez and Terry both seem to get increasingly hostile receptions from rival fans due to their unacceptable behaviour on and off the pitch.

I suspect it's beer talking, or booing. I 'd love it to be the rejection of monarchy. Whichever it is, it's worth keeping an ear out for future events.

Maybe it's time for a new National anthem - one that's inclusive, doesn't plead to an imaginary friend, and one that's genuinely about the nation?





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This is the link from the comments below so it's easier to click on: CLICK HERE.

COMMENT: It's time to rid ourselves of Fabio Capello

Fabio Capello hasn't been the most popular of England football managers, and far from the best, but, with his comments about John Terry and the captaincy he has, it seems, broken his contract with the F.A. and should be sacked immediately.

Fabio Capello has been England manager for 4 years now. He followed in the wake of the lamentable Steve McClaren and so, in comparison, a rotting pig's head would have been able to do a better job.

In his time as manager, which, let's be honest, is really a very part-time job, he's been pocketing a whacking £6 million pounds per year (yes, £6 million part-time, not pro rata) but hasn't found the time to learn English in order to be able to talk to the press or instruct the team without reliance on a translator.

Also in his time, England have qualified for two major tournaments. For a strong footballing nation, qualification should be the default. The team have given many poor performances, struggled to beat mediocre and poor teams and were a disgrace in the 2010 World Cup.

Yesterday, he was interviewed by Italian TV and said he was unhappy that the FA had removed the captaincy from John Terry, who has been charged with racially abusing a fellow player last October.

Hang on a minute, Mr. Capello, in any other workplace if a worker was accused of racially abusing a co-worker he'd be suspended until the matter was resolved. It is an outrage that Terry, a disposable character, has been allowed to hang on to the captaincy so long, and it is,similarly, monstrous that he is still being selected by Chelsea, the tea news playing for when the alleged offence took place.

many will argue that the British legal system means that John Terry is innocent until proven guilty. That is true. Until the case is heard in court we have to assume Terry's innocence and it is the role of the prosecution to prove his guilt in the matter, but in employment law when a serious allegation like this is made a suspension comes into operation.

Capello's support for Terry is bizarre. he selected him as his full-time skipper but had to take away the captain's armband when Terry had, shall we say, issues in his private life that unsettled the England changing room. In his place, Capello appointed known drug cheat Rio Ferdinand, but, as soon as he could here-appointed Terry. Why on earth would you do that? According to reports Terry is as unpopular on terraces as he is with the team.

Capello's contract ends this summer and he's already said he's off after the Euro 2012 championships. It's very likely that he's broken the terms of his contract with a very public criticism of his employers but, even if he hasn't, I think it's time to replace him with a new manager.

Who will the new manager be? Well, the tabloid's favourite, Harry Redk app, would seem as much of a liability as Terry Venables was. He may not be everyone's first choice, but I'd choose Ray Wilkins - calm, experienced and a master tactician.

As for Capello, who cares. he's been very poor. Even if he hasn't breached his contract (I smaintain there's a very good chance he has) the pay off now would be very small. It's time to look to the future.

Ciao bella, Fabio!



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John Terry's punishment:
http://pimpmycadence.blogspot.com/2012/02/opinion-john-terrys-punishment.html

John Terry's racism charge:
http://pimpmycadence.blogspot.com/2012/02/comment-john-terrys-racism-charge.html

Racism in the UK:
http://pimpmycadence.blogspot.com/2011/12/opnion-racism-in-uk.html

COMMENT: John Terry's racism charge

Today John Terry found that the trial for his alleged use of racist insults against Antonio Ferdinand won't take place until 9th July - just over a week after the Euro 2012 Championships have finished.

Terry has pleaded not guilty to making racist comments in a match between Chelsea and QPR last October. Today, in the Magistrates' Court, he pleaded "not guilty".

Now I realise and accept that, as the law stands, John Terry is currently innocent until proved otherwise. Howev, the police have investigated the accusations and the Criwn Prosecution Service have decided, based on that investigatin, that Terry has a case to answer.

Yes, the fact he has a case to answer doesn't stop him being innocent.It just means he has a case to answer.

But, should Terry go to Poland/Ukraine in June to represent England in the Euro 2012 Championships and, if he does go, should he still captain the England team (a position he only regained in March 2011 having been stripped of it a year earlier due to "troubles" in his private life)?

Personally, I think there are many issues that are raised if Terry is selected and goes:

1. What about his relationship with Les Ferdinand (Antonio Ferdinand's brother) who is likely to be in the England squad?

2. What of the FA's "KICK RACISM INTO TOUCH" campaign?

3. Will Terry's mind be on football or his impending court case?

4. Will he have the support of other black players in the squad?

5. What effect will it have on the FA's credibility?

I'm undecided. I strongly support the notion of innocent until proven guilty but I do wonder whether Terry's inclusion in the squad, let alone being captain, raises too many questions. It's not as if he has an unblemished past - there are several incidents in his past that make him an unsuitable ambassador for the country on the international stage.

I suspect the FA will somehow manage to fudge the issue... and hope he picks up a metatarsal injury in April/May that will prevent him going!