Just seen SSN and it looks like we are going to have to play Theo as centre forward...serves Hodgson and the England management team right for not calling up the top English goals order! Haven't Man U got a fifth choice striker who can't score that Hodgson can call upon to flounder around the pitch looking frustrated and confused about what he is supposed to be doing?
Hodgson would rather have no fit strikers on the bench than call up Rickie for a friendly ... this was SRL's last chance for an England cap IMHO.
The Liverpool fans were very astute in their judgement of Hodgson. He should be at home watching daytime telly with his feet up not in Brazil making a mess of trying to manage England.
Definitely, I understand the original argument that Rickie is too old to feature in the World Cup but calling him up now wouldn't be taking anything away from the younger players. I'm not asking for him to start but even 5 minutes at the end of a friendly match against Brazil would give a man that has worked his way up through the Football League, the reward he deserves and really put the cherry on top of the metaphorical cake that represents his career. This goes beyond simple club bias, if there was another English forward with a better record this year, I would be just as aggrieved. As it stands, SRL will retire having never played for England, despite outscoring his compatriots in the league and Hodgson has stolen a beautiful story that Rickie could have one day told his kids. To call it a joke is an understatement, it's a disgrace.
I think Hodgson's tactics will help when we play the stronger teams, but we will struggle to break down the weaker ones. I would love to see England play how Saints have tried to play under Pochettino, press all over the pitch, with a hard working team that also has the skill when we win the ball. I think the fans would appreciate it as well, even if we don't get the result from a match, if we feel that the players have given everything and never given up, it would provide some satisfaction and it would purely be down to not being good enough and not a lack of trying.
It's gone beyond a joke now. The Guardian have just published an article with Hodgson defending his tactics, claiming "If you look at the Premier League most of the strikers are foreigners. And there's nothing I can do about it" and that he "would like a stronger pool of front players because you want goalscorers" SOMEONE PLEASE SLAP THAT MAN IN THE FACE.
I'm almost as annoyed about the comment on that article: What is this obsession with linking Grant Holt and Rickie Lambert together. HOLT IS ABSOLUTE ****E compared to Lambert.
Some of you need to take off your red and white tinted glasses and face facts. Rickie Lambert is not England material at present. Do some of you really believe that Woy doesn't pick him because be plays for Southampton? He doesn't pick him because he doesn't think he's good enough. Will he ever get a call up? I doubt it, but if he bangs in 20 odd goals, plays well week in week out , then maybe he will. He did great for only his second ever season out of the bottom two leagues, but didn't do enough to merit a call up. Its no conspiracy, no anti saints bias, just a manager picking what he considers to be the best team.
As I have previously stated, this goes beyond simple club bias or my "red and white tinted glasses". I understand the decision to call up Welbeck/Sturridge/Defoe/Walcott/Rooney etc. ahead of Lambert, hell I have even come to terms with Carroll getting the nod first, but Hodgson is choosing to have no fit striker on the bench instead of Lambert. If he had called up a replacement then we could argue over whether it was bias to want Rickie ahead of x but Hodgson hasn't called up anyone!
Problem is international football doesn't really attract the up and comers of the managerial world, it's a scrapheap for respected, uncontroversial pensioners. I think the last truly forward thinking England manager was Hoddle, who promptly put himself on the controversial pile. Watching the game the other night I honestly couldn't tell you what strategy we were attempting to employ, it looked like they had been told "to ****ing run around a bit." (in the words of saggy chops).
With only 14 fit players available and no centre forwards to lead the line, that that old fart Hodgson regrets his decision not to call up the countries top goal scorer rather than the numerous unfit bench warms from his favourite top clubs!
Rickie himself admitted he's been carrying a back injury, so much better he's on his hols with his family. Better for us anyway.
