United Latest

Fabio Capello today announced his provisional 30-man squad for this summer’s World Cup. The 30 players will be trimmed-down to a lucky 23 at the end of the month. Names on the list include the ever-so-controversial Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher. Spurs have six players in the squad, while United can only manage three…

Rio Ferdinand – the new skipper, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick all represent Old Trafford on the squad of 30 – while Gary Neville, Owen Hargreaves and Wes Brown are all unlucky to miss-out. 

Neville has had a fantastic season for a 35-year-old, and it is quite beyond me why he misses-out. I can partially understand why Hargreaves and Brown have not been chosen, as they, like Michael Owen and Ben Foster have either been injured or lost-out on starting positions at United. Despite this, three United players just isn’t good enough !

The Reds are the best team in England (obviously Chelski won the League – but we are still of much better quality), and one the best in Europe and the World – yet only three players are able to make it onto the national team. Ferdinand, Rooney and Carrick are obvious choices, but other names should really be on that surprise list…

Foster himself was resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t be travelling to South Africa – with Joe Hart, David James and Robert Green starting in the Premier League regularly – but a little more determination (no offence) wouldn’t go a miss. Sir Alex (maybe) should have played him more, but with quite a few errors made in his last appearances – that probably wasn’t a risk the gaffer was willing to take. Gary Neville, however, should have been selected. Neville has made played 28 games this season for The Reds at right-back, and has done fantastically to keep his place. And bringing ‘Mr. Liverpool’ himself is pretty laughable.

Meanwhile, Hargreaves is now fit and is unlucky to miss-out on a place. Now at the age of 29 – it’s probably the last chance he would have got to represent his country – but in all fairness to Capello, Gareth Barry has been the better player (this season). Wes Brown is partially fit, but has been in and out of fitness this season, and Capello doesn’t gamble too often. Owen will be fit for next season, and it is very disappointing for him – as he has been key in a good few of the big matches for us.

Paul Scholes – if he came-out of International retirement like Carragher – would have got in the squad, Capello said earlier. But he puts club before country, just like a lot of us fans do nowadays. But the bottom line is that for a club of United’s stature – just three players going to the World Cup with England is pretty bad – mind you we only had three representitives in the last WC too…


England’s Provisional 30-Man Squad For The World Cup;

Goalkeepers:  Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).
Defenders:  Leighton Baines (Everton), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Rio Ferdinand (United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).
Midfielders:  Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Scott Parker (West Ham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).
Forwards:  Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (United).