I know that, they were heaping a lot of praise in the first part of the discussion, Robbie Savage in particular, but they are probably right, he won't get selected for all of the usual reasons, if anyone deserves a cap it is Rickie.
This really bothers me about England. If a teenager plays three or four good games he gets a call up. (Walcott, Chamberlain, Sterling, Zaha). None of these guys had to prove themselves for a second season in the PL (or in some cases at all). I love Oxo but I don't think anyone can say he deserves to play for England on current form. I can't remember the last time Ashley Young did anything of note for Manchester United but because he had done ok for England in the past he keeps his place. When he came on against Montenegro he wasted every decent opportunity and that had to be from lack of confidence and poor form. England need a strong coach who is not afraid to make 10 or so changes to a squad to keep it on its toes and place a greater emphasis on current form.
No slight intended against Le God - I was thinking of that last minute free kick against Greece about 10/11 years ago which ensured England's qualification
if Lambert can score a few more goals between now and the next squad selection I reckon there's a really good chance he'll get a call up for the friendlys
Agreed and add to this the fact that Hodgson only recently picked another 31 year old (Leon Osman) for his first cap. So many people say Ricky is too old and talk about a lack of pace. Ricky has never relied on pace and for this reason he has a good few years left in him. Somebody mentioned Sheringham and his lack of pace. What about Heskey and his lack of pace AND goals! The best description of Heskey I ever heard was that he was like an excitable puppy on linoleum!
Rickie deserves a call up, but you just know what's going to happen. He'll get a token pick in the summer for one of those friendlies, a time when I'd much prefer him resting (they are at a very strange time, June...wtf?).......but would never be rude enough to begrudge him turning out for his country. Then, no matter how he does, the 'face fits' boys will be back in town for the real games. Roy is no different to Capello imo.
I would be thrilled for Rickie even if he got a token call up...it would be a fitting reward for his massive progress in the last few years. You don't get a cap for a friendly though, do you?
Get Rickie in for the May games and he will be impossible to drop as long as he plays alongside Rooney or even Wellbeck. He will need a clever player alongside him. If he is picked alongside a Defoe or Carroll he will go the same way as Le Tiss not being able to shine, purely because he isn't given the chance to play with complimentary players.
I'm pretty sure you do. How else do certain english players clock up so many appearances? For example, Beattie had 5, I think. On another note a high profile figure's endorsement like him, along with whispering Dave, should help the 'Lambert for England' bandwagon gather pace.
I sometimes have to do a double-take or re-read text to see if what I'm seeing is actually so, when I've read of some of the extremely average players who rack up 30, 40, 50 or more caps for England. Classic examples are Heskey [62], Batty [42], Anderton [30]... and the list goes on and on. And I can't be the only one who thinks David Beckhams's haul of 115 is a bit over the top. Only World beaters achieve this level and he was just a good quality international at best. He certainly wasn't a Franz Beckenbauer or Bobby Charlton.
The one he seemed to almost cut across the ball to play it through to Davis who then tried to chip the goalkeeper was absolutely sublime, was disappointed not to see replays of that as it looked a beauty.
