[Archived] England's Injury Crisis

[grizfoot]

Shocking decision but I'm not suprised it is McClaren who's the manager after all.

I suppose we'll have Jermaine 'Super' Jenas playing on the right-wing then.

[Kai]

McClaren is a poor manager. However if he get's the boot, it'll mean Sparky being shortlisted I am sure. And given how everyone is running away from the job or has had cameo appearances on an expose programme, Sparky could land the job.

Absolutely no chance.

For starters, Hughes is Welsh. He also manages Blackburn. What's he ever done there? (That's what eveyone would say)

The only way Hughes might ever be in contention for the job is if/when he is the manager of Chelsea/Man U (or similar).

[Hughesy]

Jenas, Dyer, Owen, Downing - But no Bentley!! HA HA HA What a dumb git McClaren is.

David Bentley has been top drawer for months and if Steve the muppet McClaren cant see that then it says it all really! He was never good enough to be England Manager in my opinion and this just confirms it.

Hopefully a few chants will support Bents on Sunday!

[Mozzer]

gerrard out for germany game, yet plays for liverpool on sunday...is that turning down your country???to be honest im not bothered what he does, he wants to help his club win chelsea, but i bet gerrard will be straight back in squad for russia...

[USRoverME]

So we want him to save himself for Rovers by not appearing in an International tournament, yet we want him to tire himself in a meaningless friendly?

my thoughts exactly, let him "pay the price" now, for a game that means nothing....

[Hughesy]

I hope Bentley plays against Arsenal, like he did Against United that time! A hat-trick would rub McLarens face right in it.

[robborover]

i think this all goes back to the international vs club football argument. if he gets injured then his career could take a dive at rovers. and if he doesn't play well for rovers then he doesn't play for england anyway.

however, it seems with McClaren that you need to not be playing regular football and also be injured/coming back from injury in order to play.

if you look at the england *11 then you can see a problem with finding fit and in-form players.

[philipl]

Hughesy- spot on!

[3recurring]

Bentley will be appearing on Football Focus tomorrow (BBC1 - 12:10pm), so will no doubt be given the opportunity to speak about his omission from the squad.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

No use crying about it,Bentley will have to except his decision like a man and play to the best of his ability for Rovers.

[OscarRaven]

Bentley's omission is ridiculous although far from unexpected.

Whilst I don't like Steve McClaren, I find the England manager has an impossible job, all England fans are first and foremost loyal to their clubs and in general to their clubs position and players.

So we have the situation of Liverpool (American owned, foreign manager) interfering with England's preparations before all or nothing Euro qualifiers dictating which players can and can't play. Liverpool fans are of course in full agreement.

Bentley not selected, in many peoples opinion (not mine) - rightly so, if he doesn't bleed England and want to wear the shirt at any opportunity no matter how tired then why should he get a call up to the first team? - Rovers fans disagree of course.

The situation will remain unchanged as long as England fans remain loyal to players who in the modern game have very little loyalty to their club and are too naive to see that foreign owned and managed premiership teams are not going to 'help' out England as this counter-productive to their interests. The premier league is not out to enhance England’s chances of winning the world cup, its purpose first and foremost is to make as much money as possible for its members.

I'm not advocating banning foreign managers and ownership, not at all. Instead I’m advocating the more unpalatable idea that England fans have to open their eyes, see past their club loyalty, actually support the England manager and demand that when David Bentley and Steven Gerard are given a call to play for the national side (at any level) they go out there and bust a gut. If they don't then rightly they should never be considered for the honour of pulling on an England shirt ever again.

It comes down to the fundamental question England fans what’s more important Blackburn Rovers or England?

[sussexrover]

Rovers. Every time.

[philipl]

Blackburn Rovers first always.

How close a second England comes depends on whether a Rovers player is playing and whether the management/selection is tolerable. Mostly it is not and certainly will never be until McClaren is sacked.

[USRoverME]

I think its more sad that England (between the management and the press) have decided to 'trap' Bentley in this arguement.

Pierce was asked not to pick him. Hughes and David asked, unlike players like rooney who probably had McClaren also asking. He was picked anyways and decided to withdraw. And instead of lying about an injury, he stated exactly why he withdrew. So Pierce ended up with a shorter bench.

Now the press conveniently forget that Pierce knew this could happen, but picked him anyways, and simply focus on the fact that David's withdrawal caused there to be no replacement.

Now McClaren is faced with the "do I or don't I" selection, Where, to be honest, neither David or himself can win. If he picks david the "you must bleed the three lions" brigade slate them both mercilessly despite the fact that he has the skill to be there. If he doesn't pick him, Bentley is paying the price for, what in my eyes, was Pierce's mistake, and McClaren gets slated for not picking the best squad.

[USABlue]

Maybe I should have added that I'm Scottish!

My condolences.

[grizfoot]

I don't believe it, he's left Jenas out of the squad as well. What is he thinking he's completely lost the plot now.

[USABlue]

So we want him to save himself for Rovers by not appearing in an International tournament, yet we want him to tire himself in a meaningless friendly?

American, my guess is it's not so much the actual fact he's not there as it is the message sent here. To me it's a clear signal of McClarens pompous ass atitude nad his future intent for Bents, I think it is more that which has folks upset than the actual not playing. If McClaren had included him in the squad it would have been a sign of all is forgiven.

I think McClaren is the biggest embarrassment of all time as an England manager.

[SuperStella]

He has lost the plot completely now.....

No Lescott? Instead they recall a 30+ year old has been

Beckham picked when he’s played 20 mins in 4 weeks

Alan Smith ? why? just why ?

And no Bentley….. it’s a f**king joke

[mac]

The sooner he is sacked the better

[rover_groo]

I didn't see the U-21 game but was at Boro and thought his overall game was poor. Bar setting the goal up for Roque!

How many crap corners did he take last night? About 10?

I do like him though and do rate him too.

I think we're on about the wrong player Ozzie.

My comments were in reference to Derbyshire as another user said he wouldn't place him anywhere near a call-up despite some mild-sort of a reference to Heskey??

[Ricky]

I'll be there next week. Although I guess there won't be anyone else wearing a Bentley 7 England shirt.

[SuperStella]

Good luck getting there................ its a right ball ache!

Bentley has been left out cos he didn’t wanna play under Stuart Pearce (a failure at club level manager, never mind international) in a poxy under 21 tournament, thus nackering him in the process before the start of the season....

Its ok, we'll get stuffed off Germany and I hope they do - it will speed up the sacking of this dimwit McClown

[they_think_its_all_rover]

I know that McLaren has family here in Hull... I might go have a look in the phonebook for an address and write a politte letter pointing out where he's going wrong.... Oh, n' tell him to get some balls n' stop picking his "comfort squad"!

[Saf]

i didnt think id say this but com on germany.

who wrigh philips is in the squad i dont know hes in and out at chelsea , in and out of the england side yet he keeps been given a chance to play for england to show us how crap he is

[elwaxo]

frig it.....england play like a bunch of daisies anyway at the moment.......and if u ask me...keep rovers players away from the england squad...they'll only get moved on by agents as a result..........