England's squad for Portugal: No surprises

Posted by: seagull on 17 May 2004

Goalkeepers: David James (Man City), Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Ian Walker (Leicester)
Defenders: Gary Neville (Man Utd), Phil Neville (Man Utd), Ashley Cole (Arsenal), Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Sol Campbell (Arsenal), John Terry (Chelsea), Ledley King (Tottenham), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool).
Midfielders: David Beckham (Real Madrid), Paul Scholes (Man Utd), Nicky Butt (Man Utd), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Kieron Dyer (Newcastle), Joe Cole (Chelsea)
Strikers: Michael Owen (Liverpool), Emile Heskey (Liverpool), Darius Vassell (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Everton).
Standby: Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Richard Wright (Everton), Matthew Upson (Birmingham), Gareth Southgate (Middlesbrough), Scott Parker (Chelsea), Alan Smith (Leeds).
Posted on: 17 May 2004 by seagull
Put like that, it is a worry once you get past the first XI.

Defoe and Rooney, may have to wait, Owen isn't near retirement age yet.

p.s. I would have put Neville P at left back in that XI!
Posted on: 17 May 2004 by NB
looks like we will be going out after round one then! Big Grin
Posted on: 17 May 2004 by matthewr
"Defoe and Rooney, may have to wait, Owen isn't near retirement age yet"

But, er, Heskey is. Plus despite Vassell's succes as a sub (my theory is he is a much better player when the other side are tired) Defoe is the obvious replacement for the oft-injured Owen

Rooney will probably start the first game on the bench but will come on at some point for Heskey. If he plays remotely well he will start the second game and will (fingers crossed) be the Beardsley figure.

I predict John Terry will be worth a gazillion pounds after Euro 2004 and will be an England fixture for years to come.

"looks like we will be going out after round one then!"

If one were betting, then the most likely outcome is qualify second and go out to Italy or Portugal in the second round.

Matthew