He didnt, Richards didn't want to be in the back ups, terrible move by Richards and if I was England manager I wouldn't select him again after a stunt like that.
He's not the only one though. A lot of managers for one reason or another have overlooked Richards which suggests to me he does more harm in the squad than good.
No matter what you say guys it will change my opinion on Hodgson his a spineless worm and an FA lapdog. He had a chance to change the culture picking form players instead of players who provide nothing but a high price tag.
As I said earlier, it is a huge risk for Hodgson to change the squad significantly so close to a tournament, he would risk getting sacked. If we do badly this time then he can blame it on the fact that he only came in very late and the squad of players weren't up to it. Then he can change the squad after the tournament.
He won't change the team because his a bitter and stubborn little man look at all these Liverpool players getting in the team don't you think Roys trying to prove a point to someone?
Based from what I've seen him pick so far I think there is an element of truth in the statement I've made, even if it does seem like a cheap shot.
Anyone would have put Gerrard and Johnson in the squad. Most people would have had Carroll in there and although Downing's had a **** season there's a huge dearth of left-footed English players out there. I don't think it's evidence of either Hodgson being a 'lapdog' or having some sort of agenda. He's got a very limited period to get something out of a group so it's understandable not to blood a load of players with no international experience.
Richards is first team England for me not G Johnson. Also, A Johnson is a much better left footed midfielder than Downing. Other than that I agree with you.
I think most people would have Richards in over Johnson but there must be something about him that we, as fans, don't see, as a number of England managers have overlooked him and Mancini dropped him for Zabaleta. A. Johnson is twice the player of Downing going forward but a liability defensively and has barely played recently so I think Hodgson is doing the right thing.
He's played more than Milner! We will have to wait and see. There must be something if Liverpool signed him and Hodgson has picked him. But I doubt it.
I do agree about the Liverpool thing. Picking Kelly and Henderson is nothing short of bizarre. But, it might have less to do with trying to prove a point and more to do with Gerrard being the skipper.
I'll go out on a limb and say that Roy Hodgson knows more about football than most of us so i think he should get a bit of respect.....
The Norway match was actually quite interesting. We got an early lead, then produced a disciplined defensive performance for the rest of the match. Downing, Milner, and Walcott when he came on, did what they had clearly. been asked to do, provide cover in front of their full backs. Yes, it was a far cry from gung-ho flood forward and lose beloved of those who are also first to complain that we never win anything, but the fact is we are usually too tactically inept to succeed. We aren't going to see Hodgson doing anything very different from Capello, because Capello understood why England always fail, just as Hodgson understands. We've just seen Chelsea become champions of Europe employing precisely the defensively disciplined tactics that England used on Saturday night. You have to decide whether you want to go on being blood and thunder losers, or actually want to join the tactically more sophisticated winners.
Most England fans that I know are disillusional at the moment I mean, what is it to be English? Is this why the media whop up the team every big championship in a vain effort for us to cling to some kind of nationalism I'll be watching this summer for sure but expect nothing
Agree with the discplined defensive tactics, but when was the last time we were 'blood and thunder' losers. I don't think I've stayed awake for an entire England game over the last 10 years.
I can't understand some of you lot. Norwich play a crap game and its "early days" or "just one bad peformance" and yet anyone else and its "crap" "useless". Yes they were, and they probably will be. But that was Hodgsons first game. So don't have double standards when it comes to football.
Lets give him 2 tournaments before we hang, draw and quarter the guy eh? The Euros don't really count as he's not had any time in the job, the REAL test will be the World cup qualifiers then we'll see what he can/can't do with a decent amount of time.
