Those are very claret and blue specs you are wearing Gazton. Gabby has hardly featured for England despite the lack of quality strikers, Ash seems to be about 5th or 6th choice for the wide berths, one has retired, and two don't play for us. As for O'Neill well he didn't sign Barry or Gabby and Heskey was already well established in the England set up under Capello. As others have mentioned, Citeh and West Ham have better claims to being an influence on the current England squad. Also arguably, by your criteria, Spurs (Defoe, Crouch, Lennon, Bent, Huddlestone) and perhaps even Everton (Lescott, Jagielka, Rooney, Baines) although we could take some credit for Crouch I suppose if we want to be all Doug Ellis about it.
Quote from: ktvillan on October 13, 2010, 09:46:03 AMThose are very claret and blue specs you are wearing Gazton. Gabby has hardly featured for England despite the lack of quality strikers, Ash seems to be about 5th or 6th choice for the wide berths, one has retired, and two don't play for us. As for O'Neill well he didn't sign Barry or Gabby and Heskey was already well established in the England set up under Capello. As others have mentioned, Citeh and West Ham have better claims to being an influence on the current England squad. Also arguably, by your criteria, Spurs (Defoe, Crouch, Lennon, Bent, Huddlestone) and perhaps even Everton (Lescott, Jagielka, Rooney, Baines) although we could take some credit for Crouch I suppose if we want to be all Doug Ellis about it.So what criteris are we using? If it's where their youth football was played then West Ham stand out and Spurs hardly have anyone, same as us. If it's a case of where they won their first cap, then we can view ourselves more favourably.But with the current state of the England side, is it not more a claim to shame than fame?
Quote from: ktvillan on October 13, 2010, 09:46:03 AMThose are very claret and blue specs you are wearing Gazton. Gabby has hardly featured for England despite the lack of quality strikers, Ash seems to be about 5th or 6th choice for the wide berths, one has retired, and two don't play for us. As for O'Neill well he didn't sign Barry or Gabby and Heskey was already well established in the England set up under Capello. As others have mentioned, Citeh and West Ham have better claims to being an influence on the current England squad. Also arguably, by your criteria, Spurs (Defoe, Crouch, Lennon, Bent, Huddlestone) and perhaps even Everton (Lescott, Jagielka, Rooney, Baines) although we could take some credit for Crouch I suppose if we want to be all Doug Ellis about it.You probably could add Downing to that list too? Point is how long were fans saying Barry never got an england cap because he played for Villa where as if he played for the a top london club or MU/Merseyside he would have been called up much much earlier. With the recent track of villa players now being called up for the seniors, If another Barry was to now come along, does anyone still think it would take him as long to get a call up because villa, and other teams (outside of london, manchester, Merseyside) are considered footballing Pariahs to england and the international set-up?
What the devil is a criteris?An Oriental female body part?
We might be forming the backbone of the Under 21's mightn't we? Delph, The Fonz, Albrighton, Gary Gardner...