Players who should not play for England

Everyone has an opinion about what players should be selected for England and a majority of the names would be picked by everyone. The likes of Terry, Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney would be on 99% of the lists. After those ‘certainties’ we would all have varying opinions on who should be added to the list.

Holiday

In order to make the decisions easier I wondered if I should look at those players who have been involved with England that should definitely be booking a holiday on the Costa del Sol next summer rather than waiting to see if they are on the plane to South Africa.

The goalkeeping position is the hardest one to rule anybody out of. Let’s face it, none of the candidates are great and any English person who owns a pair of gloves must be in with a chance!

Defend

At right back I think we should rule out Wes Brown. I know the primary job of a full back is to defend but they have to be able to get forward as well. Brown has a little difficulty with the defensive aspect of the role but it is going the other way that causes him the most problems.

In the middle of the defence we must hope and pray that John Terry and Rio Ferdinand are fit and in form. Matty Upson is OK and Phil Jagielka might do a job if he gets fit, but please don’t tell me we will be going with Joleon Lescott. £24 million he cost Manchester City. I know that Mark Hughes knows more about football than me but surely he over-paid by about £23 million didn’t he?

Reserve

Left back sees Wayne Bridge as the natural reserve. Unfortunately, that is what Bridgey looks like when he plays. A reserve. Let’s hope that young Gibbs at Arsenal continues to flourish!

Then we come to the wide positions, an area where we are allegedly blessed with a huge amount of talent. Beckham, too old, Downing, surely that is a joke, Joe Cole, not a winger and not fit, Aaron Lennon, devastating pace and …well, devastating pace and Theo Walcott, a certainty if fit. The one I have not mentioned is Shaun Wright-Phillips. I really want to like Shaun because he seems like a great bloke and has all the talent required to be a top player. I thought he was going to be one of the greats but it just hasn’t happened. He runs with ball but seems to have absolutely no idea where he is going with it. He disappears down far too many blind alleys.

Pedigree

In the middle of midfield we have Jermaine Jenas. For me, the selection of Jenas is similar to that when Graham Taylor decided that Carlton Palmer was a footballer of international pedigree. It beggars belief. Jenas has a wonderful range of passing but unfortunately it rarely involves giving the ball to a player on his own team in a decent position.

Up front we have only Rooney as a certainty. Crouch offers something different, Heskey is a probable and Defoe knows where the goal is. Surely last Saturday was Darren Bent’s last chance wasn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have Darren Bent at Watford but I’m afraid he simply isn’t special enough to make it at international level.

List

So that is my list of players who definitely should not be selected for South Africa, even at this early stage. Wes Brown, Joleon Lescott, Wayne Bridge, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas and Darren Bent.

Do you agree with my list or am I being too harsh on one or more of these players? Who would you add to the list?