‘Psycho’ Names England Squad to Face Holland
Stuart Pearce has a job. In fact he has many. He is the coach of England’s under-21s, is to be the coach for the GB team at this year’s Olympics and he is to take control of England’s first post-Capello match, against the Dutch at Wembley next week..
So with such a marvelous opportunity to try something different, to stamp his own brand onto this wayward England team, the man known as ‘Psycho’ has picked a squad to take on the Clockwork Orange of Holland.
He has certainly tried some things…
He has been saved a colossal call by John Terry having to drop out of competitive soccer for a bit, to have an operation. However he has also chosen not to pick Rio Ferdinand.
With this he has declared some fierce intent. Ferdinand is a senior player but he does not have John Terry’s ability to talk a defense through a game. If Terry was fit he may still have been used. Both players are now struggling with the pace of top flight soccer, but in an international arena this would impact less on Terry because he was always the organizer; Ferdinand the athlete.
Pearce has a chance to try out the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling of Man Utd. He may even go radical and try established right-back Micah Richards, recalled to the England fold, at centre-back. He has established wing-backs Ashley Cole and Kyle Walker in there, beside Everton’s Leighton Baines.
Pearce has also omitted Frank Lampard.
Fair enough. The driving, attacking midfielder, who is fond of hovering on the edge of opposition boxes, has been labeled surplus at Chelsea. He is pouting, Villas-Boas is ignoring him and Pearce has decided that he would rather pick the likes of Gareth Barry from Man City. And Milner. And Cleverley from Man Utd. And Young. And a Lazarus-like Steven Gerrard.
Pearce has also been emboldened enough to ignore an out-of-sorts Andy Carroll. Instead he has picked Fraizer Campbell of Sunderland, who has only just returned to competitive football, but who has been inflated during Sunderland’s resurgence. Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge is there, too, alongside United’s Wellbeck. It is a sprightly, if a little unruffled, striking corp.
Walcott is there as a winger and will have to improve upon his recent poor form. Even more than this, Liverpool’s Downing has more to prove.
This team, like Pearce in fact has a lot to prove. Can they hold tight and drive through the middle of a Dutch side that will be slightly more settled and primed for passing around them? This may feel odd with no Terry, Ferdinand, Lampard or strikers who are powering in lots of goals –like their oppositions striker, Robin Van Persie –but something had to change.
Now Pearce just has to make them believe. A win would be desired. It will if he is to take the England job for EURO 2012. Which he says he wants. Stuart Pearce has just declared that he wants to be England Manager for EURO 2012.
The official squad can be found HERE.
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