Gus Poyet is as perplexed as the rest of the intelligent world by Lee Cattermole's continued England snubs, insisting that if he was Uruguayan he would be immeasurably more appreciated by his country. Despite a stunning run of form and superb start to the season, Cattermole was once again overlooked by a generally confused looking Roy Hodgson. Like everyone else with an ounce of sense, Poyet is struggling to get his head around it. He told reporters: Me, I like players like Lee. I need one like him at least, but some managers don't like a player who one day is going to get a red card. I don't care, it's part of the game. I got a few red cards when I was a player. In Uruguay, [there is] no doubt he would be picked. We like that sort of player. If I was a national team manager I would definitely pick him because I like his character and the way he plays the game. We are a different team when he is on the pitch and that's important for him. Maybe that will help him get into the England team. There is something like Dennis [Wise] in him. They are similar characters. They play in the same position, they hate losing, they bring the team up in a certain way but they show that with frustration now and again. Wisey was important, he was a leader and he helped the others maintain concentration. You need players like that, I've always said Wisey was the main person at Chelsea, we all followed him and were led by him. The best decision we made last January was keeping Lee. We had offers from Stoke, but the chairman asked me if I needed him and I said yes, so he didn't sell him. Phew, what a decision. It doesn't matter about how much money you can get for a player, it's about how much they help you win games and the difference between staying up and going down. Unfortunately, whilst Poyet is completely right on every point, the most surprising thing about England ignoring Lee Cattermole is probably that there was anyone out there who is actually surprised. It's not even anything specific on Cattermole, I think. It just seems like a total ignorance of Sunderland by England. It's not about trying to play the victim card here. There is no need to be that dramatic or anything. In fact, it would almost be nice if England were deliberately going out of their way to irritate us. That would be far better than the reality which is that - as far as they are concerned - Sunderland is just some pain in the backside remote footballing outpost with the sheer temerity to be a long way away from London. If Roy Hodgson or Fabio Capello before him had been a regular visitor to the Stadium of Light and did not like what they had seen, you'd have shrugged your shoulders and accepted it. It would be annoying but it would be fair. That's not the case, though. And it's not just Sunderland either, in fairness. There are clubs like Stoke City and Hull City too, both of whom have players with strong cases for getting a chance for England - the likes of Tom Huddlestone, Ryan Shawcross and Curtis Davies - who are apparently nowhere near. It's telling that both Huddlestone and Jake Livermore had far more chances with England as poor bit-part players for Tottenham Hotspur than as important, good players for Hull City. Anyway, I suppose at least this way England can carry on embarrassing themselves without us having to take any responsibility for it or actually caring. Small mercies, and all that.
I lost interest in England when London based Peter ****ing Bonetti was chosen ahead of a far superior Jimmy Montgomery. I'll let you know when the situation changes ...............
I remember me owld father-in-law, about 40 years ago, saying Monty would have played for England if he`d played for a London club. He was absolutely right.
What about Super Kev aswell? He barely got a sniff for England. I remember his 1st appearance for them. He was a 2nd half sub playing on the right wing.
totally agree, smudgekin himself has said himself that "somebody called him the ginger pirlo, so i need to take a look" see ya stiltskin
Still one of the biggest england cock up's as far as im concerned. Only englishman to win the Golden boot and still got barely a sniff in at the national level, shocking.
Here's what I think on the matter Catts has his reputation. The media won't let it go, so mud sticks So if Roy chooses catts and he gets sent off then Roy will get it big time What Roy should be doing though is looking at recent form and behaviour, and choosing the best players Good riddance to the fool. England doesn't interest me any more
It won't .......... put your house on it, then your car, your kid's piggy bank and your gran's bingo money.
Philips didn't fit into the England cliques did he, because apparently he didn't get involved in the gambling that went on. It's hard not to be paranoid about SAFC players never getting a look-in into the England squad. Fact is, Catts is, statistically, right up there for his position. So why isn't he picked? Because: Woy's England back-up team haven't done their homework. To their eternal shame! England need a holding player in the squad, like Catts. can't think of an English player comes close to Catts!
Think back to 1966. We won the World Cup with a guy called Nobby Stiles biting the opponents up the ass. Roll on World Cup 2014. We play Italy in the first game. We knew who was the danger man. First minute Pirlo got the ball and there was no one within 10 yards of him. He strolled through the game. I'm 57 and if you gave me that space I could do the same. Now imagine Catts playing against Italy. Pirlo would have had Catts right up his ass in that same situation. Lets see what sort of game Pirlo would have had after that...hmmm. When you go to a World Cup it's always the same. Each team you play has a player you need to take out the game. Crying out for Catts for ffs. Sunderland did the same thing with Mickey Horswill in the cup run of 1973............when will we ever learn.
Far to many of our own had wrote off Catts and were pleased he could be on his way out of the club. He could be man of the match in numerous games and they would find one mistake he made in a game and bleat on about it ad-infinitum. Me I was ****ting bricks we would lose him.
Kevin Phillips, Darren Bent, Johnson, Cattermole. All have played well enough to walk into the England team when on form for sunderland and don't get a look in. The FA are a complete joke. I'm 19 and have never really cared about England and the World Cup 2010 made it's mark most on me, bent couldn't get in after 24 goals. A joke.
i remember capello saying he didnt pick him because he 'Only played in the box' what a load of bollocks. Thats where the goal is fabio, where do you want the striker to play?
