Specsavers INNIT?!?! Ferdinand and Barry

As I write this, the England team are flying back from Amsterdam after their 2-2 draw with Holland.

Before Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry report back to their respective training grounds, I hope they make a diversion to their local Specsavers for a couple of tests.

1) General eye-sight

2) Colour blindness


INNIT?!?!

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Out On His Owen This Summer!

Following another injury-ravaged campaign in which he failed miserably to help Newcastle in the Premier League, I could not believe the gall of Michael Owen’s ‘come and get me’ plea to prospective suitors.

The 29-year-old, who cost the Geordies £17million from Real Madrid four years ago, has enjoyed a magnificent wage from the club but failed to repay them on the field. In four seasons he played just 71 games and scored 26 goals.

While Newcastle struggled last term Owen’s injury problems restricted him to 12 league games in which he managed just four goals! The Magpies were subsequently relegated and Owen wasted no time in trying to secure a contract with another club as his deal at St James’ Park is set to end this week!

The problem facing Owen, who says ‘the Premier League is where I feel I belong’, is that the only interested parties are Hull and Stoke City. No disrespect to these two clubs but I feel Owen had his sights set a little higher when pondering where to continue his career next season.

No ‘bigger’ clubs have expressed a solid interest as yet and it appears not many clubs can or will agree to pay him what Newcastle have stumped up since 2005!

If Owen used his head and stopped thinking about where HE wants to play and how good HE thinks he is, he could use this situation to propel himself back into hero status and boost his career in the long run.

Instead of enforcing the majority of football fans’ thoughts that modern-day footballers are all self-centred, money-grabbing, disloyal buffoons, Owen could dispel the myth with a goodwill gesture to his current employers.

Having earned a handsome living from the game – and Newcastle in particular – surely it would not hurt him to offer his services to the club for another 12 months on a wage that suits the club?

That way he could try and regain his match sharpness and eye for goal in the Championship, while possibly helping Newcastle reclaim Premier League football at the first attempt!

Owen could be given the freedom of the Toon if it all worked out, while the worst-case scenario is that he could at least say he gave it his best shot!

True it would not go down well with Fabio Capello, but then again the England coach does not seem in a rush to hand him a recall to the Three Lions squad. And his chances of returning to the national team fold would be barely enhanced by a move to Hull or Stoke!

The chances of this scenario happening are between slim and none. But what a refreshing change it would make if a footballer actually tried to give something back!


Written by Craig Smithson, a professional sports writer who blogs about football betting.

England Expects!!

After a pulsating semi-final against Sweden where England nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, England face old foes Germany in the European U21 Final tonight in Sweden.

If the semi-final success was done the hard way, tonight will be even harder - No Joe Hart, no Campbell, no Agbonlahor - all suspended and there is a possibility that Theo Walcott won't play due to injury.


COME ON ENGLAND!

COME ON ENGLAND

I haven't posted a 'totty' picture for a while now and as England U21s kick off their campaign to become European Champions against Finland later on today..... seems a good time to start again.

The game kicks off at 5.15pm (UK time).

In the Confederations Cup, Spain beat New Zealand 5-0 (Liverpool's Torres scored a hat-trick in eleven minutes) and the hosts, South Africa drew 0-0 with Iraq.

So Wembley Got A Crowd

Just over 58,000 fans made it to Wembley (despite the tube strike) this evening (Wednesday) to see England beat Andorra 6-0. To be honest it should have been 12 or more, but the crowd went home happy with SIX and I wonder how many punters got the correct score.

For the record Wayne Rooney scored 2, Jermaine Defoe scored 2, Frank Lampard and Peter Crouch scored the others.

Next week England U21s start their campaign to become European U21 Champions in Sweden.

Murdering A Principality?!?!

Still there is no news on the tube strike due to start 7pm Tuesday night, perhaps Wembley will be 'murdered' if the tube strike goes ahead let alone Andorra.

But what do you know about Andorra? Back in September England travelled to Andorra and won 2-0 thanks to two Joe Cole goals.

Andorra is bordered to the right by France and to the left by Spain and Andorra is predominately by occupied Spanish speaking residents. Approximately a quarter of the population (70,000) is made up of Andorrans.

To say Hello in Andorra, say 'HOLA,' but as Andorra will be in London this week, say HELLO.

But what does Andorra have to offer the intrepid traveller? Duty free, Skiing, The Pyrenees and Andorra for those with a load of £ or $ is a taxman's nightmare - A tax haven.

To quote The Lonely Planet:

"The town of Andorra la Vella is squeezed into the Riu Gran Valira Valley and is mainly engaged in retailing electronic and luxury goods. With the constant din of jackhammers and shopping-mall architecture, you might be in Hong Kong - but for the snowcapped peaks and an absence of noodle shops?"

Asalam Aleykum (Peace Be With You)

After an indifferent start where England could have been 2-0 down inside twenty minutes, England won in Central Asia beating Kazakhstan 4-0 with goals from Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard from the penalty spot.

Roll on Andorra!!

Extract from the The Lonely Planet

"The ninth largest country in the world, Kazakhstan lies at the heart of the great Eurasian steppe, the band of grassland stretching from Mongolia to Hungary, which has served for millennia as the highway and grazing ground of nomadic horseback peoples."

World Cup 2010

England are in action twice over the next five days, trying to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Tomorrow (Saturday) England play Kazakhstan and next Wednesday England host minnows Andorra at Wembley.

If the proposed tube strike goes ahead next week, how will people get to Wembley?

Wembley could be deserted as the Marie Celeste.

Well Did Yer?

As the England game was on 'normal' TV last night - did you bother to watch it?

I know it was only friendly and to be honest a needless and meaningless game to boot, but didn't the 'reserves' do well?

I always treat every England game with contempt, after all they DO flatter to deceive, but I did enjoy last nights action.

Fair play to Captain John Terry - admitting the mistake that led to Germany's equaliser - then goes up the other end and heads the winner.

More of the same JT please starting against Newcastle United on Saturday.

A WAG in the Jungle

Carly Zucker, the girlfriend of Chelsea and England's Joe Cole is in the Jungle.


You can keep up with Carly's progress, here

Beckham to Join AC Milan

East End boy made good, David Beckham, joins Serie A's AC Milan in January according to AC's Vice-President Adriano Galliani.


"The player (Beckham) will train with us and in January he will sign with us until the end of the season.


"He will be available for coach Carlo Ancelotti for both the domestic competition and the UEFA Cup.


"It's not just a marketing operation but a great acquisition."


AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has given the blessing for the former Manchester United star to arrive to the San Siro because Beckham's arrival means there would be more competition for places in the squad.


"For me there are no problems," he said. "The players that will go on the bench will have problems."


Beckham is able to 'transfer' to another club as the MLS season ends on Sunday.


Beckham needs at least to be training, so he can still be part of Englands World Cup plans under coach Fabio Capello.

Is This The Worst Miss Ever?

Chris Iwelumo on as a sub for Scotland v Norway this afternoon, making his debut.

Wishing the ground would open up and swallow him after this miss, moments after coming on.

At least England won 5-1 LOL.

Flying the Flag

England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland are all in action today - WC 2010 qualifiers.


Last night England's U21 beat Wales U21 3-2 at Cardiff's Ninian Park to take a first leg lead, in the play-off to qualify for the U21 European Championships.


The 2nd leg is next Tuesday at Villa Park, home of Aston Villa.

Credit Crunch..... What Credit Crunch?

The FA have reported that England's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan at Wembley on Saturday is SOLD OUT.

It's now another 'boring' two weeks without the Premiership, just when everything is starting to take shape.

The Premiership returns on Saturday 18th October.

Shining Stars

I really don't know how the 7,000 plus England fans do it. Travel away to see England play no-hopers Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in Barcelona - perhaps the attraction of a weekend in Barcelona did it.

Its bad enough supporting your club every weekend without expending more energy and emotion on a two-bit, two-bob international team who really haven't done anything since Sir Bobby Robson was in charge.

It took England 46 plus mins to break down a stubborn Andorrian side last night and to me a result, anything less than 5-0 is considered a failure, but England have been a failure for many a year.

Two goals in the space of ten minutes from half-time substitute Joe Cole, who still got told off by England manager Fabio Capello, was one shining star of two.

The second shining star was Theo Walcott of Arsenal. Walcott started his first England game and terrorised the Andorrian defence especially in the first-half.

As for the rest.... pah. The biggest culprits were Stewart Downing of Middlesbrough (what on earth is he doing in an England shirt) and Wayne (The Prodigal Son) Rooney!!!

At least Frank Lampard wasn't booed!!

England have to do alot better if they are to overcome Croatia in Zagreb on Wednesday night.

England v USA Friendly

Chelsea captain John Terry has been given the chance by new England coach Fabio Capello, to captain England in Wednesday night's friendly against the U.S.A at Wembley.



The game kicks-off 8pm (BST).

Are You McClaren In Disguise?

Yes Fabio. We know. England lost 1-0 to France in Paris at the Stade de France in front of a full house with thousands of England fans travelling to the 'renaissance.' Some renaissance this evening turned out to be.

Beckham wins his 100th cap, Ferdinand loses his first game as England Captain and prior to all of the substitutions - there were FOUR players with England Captain experience on the park during the first half.

Man Utd's Ferdinand

LA Galaxy's Beckham

Chelsea's Terry

Liverpool's Gerrard

The only of goal of the game came from the penalty spot after Anelka was brought down by 'keeper David James and Frank 'don't call me scarface' Ribery scored from the resultant kick.