Neil Ravenscroft wrote:You can add Owen to the list of those that will be off before the next World Cup as well. I thought he'd still be under thirty, but he won't be.
You do need
some experience though. Players can't be written off just because they're a year or two the wrong side of 30. Gary Neville (who I despise when he plays for United) should be a candidate for captain, not thrown on the scrapheap because he'll be 35 at the next World Cup. If he's still playing well enough to be in the side then he should be selected. Obviously Owen should play too - he'll more than likely be our record international goalscorer by the time of the next World Cup - and still only 30 (and six months).
Micah Richards has plenty of potential, but he looked out of his depth yesterday because he just doesn't have the positional sense he needs yet and his pace isn't enough to dig him out of as many holes at international level as it does or Man City.
Of the players on display yesterday the only ones whose international careers should definitely be over are Beckham and Campbell. Some of the rest should go to the back of the queue as far as selection goes, but with good performances on a consistent basis for their clubs there's no reason why they can't come back.
Also, you've written Carson off on the back of one (admittedly very poor) match, despite his inexperience and youth. Don't you remember some of Seaman's early games for England after Shilton's retirement? If we are going to bring through the next generation of young players then we need to be patient with them, just like we say about the kids DD is bringing through at Walsall. Carson may or may not be first choice in five years (my guess is still that he will be), but he'll have more than two caps, of that I'm sure. Keepers make mistakes just like other players and they're a part of the team just like other players, not an extra you have on the side. I notice that you don't say Richards should never play for England again, yet the only real difference between the quality of their performances yesterday was that Carson wore a yellow shirt for his and Richards a white one.