Michael Lintorn wonders whether not only Charlie Austin but Bobby Zamora could have an England future... Roy Hodgson has shown that he has no issue venturing into the bottom half of the Premier League in search of a solution to a squad deficiency. Aston Villa's Fabian Delph, Sunderland's Jack Colback and now West Brom's Saido Berahino have learnt that there is no snobbishness in the selection process. It is surely only a matter of time before second bottom QPR, who are 2.46 to be relegated, receive a phone call enquiring as to the international availability of at least one of their players. Though England have Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge to call on up front, the fourth attacking vacancy is up for grabs. Rickie Lambert has been the man in possession, but he is a few months shy of 33 and has made one Premier League or Champions League start for Liverpool all season despite Sturridge's injury and Mario Balotelli's struggles, so his position is certainly in doubt. Berahino is being given the opportunity on this occasion as a reward for striking seven times in the Premier League this term, though three of those were penalties, meaning that Charlie Austin has actually outscored him from open play for a struggling side with six to the youngster's four. Four of those goals came in his last three appearances as he begins to adapt to the Premier League in what is his first campaign, having worked his way up from Knitbury Rangers, Hungerford Town and Poole Town to Swindon and then Burnley and QPR. The 25-year-old has also netted against each of the top three - Chelsea, Southampton and Man City - in his short top-flight stay. With a margin of just two separating Austin from the division's fourth highest scorer so far in 2014/15 (Berahino), odds of 8.8 on him closing the season as one of the top four goal-getters entice. However, it isn't necessarily Austin alone in with a chance of international recognition. Bobby Zamora has to be an option for the Lambert or Andy Carroll big-guy-off-the-bench role. The 33-year-old impressed in both of QPR's recent high-profile televised clashes with Liverpool and Man City, with England coach Gary Neville effusive in his praise as a co-commentator on each game. Additionally, it was Hodgson who signed him for Fulham in 2008 and afforded him 59 Premier League starts over the two years that followed. The former West Ham and Tottenham target man was capped twice earlier this decade by Fabio Capello. If you don't think either Austin or Zamora are worthy of England recognition and expect Berahino to assert that any forward vacancy has been filled, you will be able to back him at around 2.1 to score at any time against Slovenia at Wembley in a match that the Three Lions are 1.34 to win. https://betting.betfair.com/footbal...ustin-should-play-for-england-121114-39.html?
What a marvelously well concocted story. Real 'Roy of the Rovers' stuff. Full marks for imagination and invention. He must be one of our 'R's. Should probably be writing romantic fiction though.
That was my first impression. But Zamora instead of Lambert? He has a point regardless of the absurdity of it. Zamora and Austin are both performing well. Despite the state of affairs regarding England forwards I think that Zamora offers more than Lambert starting or from the bench on current form. It's mad isn't it? It's only a football forum and issues to be bandied about. That's all. It's not as if we are picking the actual team or squad. Would you have Lambert (who's been benched all season. ) in ahead of Zamora or Austin who are playing well. It's not a personal assault, it's just a question put out there for a debate. If not OBZ and Chaz, who better?
How could you possibly pick a striker who cannot coplete 90 mins for his own club (with the odd exception) over ANY player who could. I know OBZ is playing well but come on, really. The bloke cant sit at half time because his body seizes up. It would be suicide if Woy picked him regardless of his form. hat happened to giving youth a chance? Its what we want at our club level, why would we not expect the same at national level. Im quietly confident that we wont ever see OBZ in an England shirt again. for my part im happy about that and Im taking the "club over country" stance for this season thanks Beth is spot on. its one extra game we dont want him to play. Even more so with Chaz. It just increases the possibility of him getting an injury and if charlie is out, then we are finished ATM. Just my opinion
It does show the lack of options when it comes to English strikers. Welbeck, Sturridge and Rooney are the first choice England strikers and with Sturridge out Roy Hodgson is left looking to the next strikers on the rank...last season there was a huge clamour for him to select on form and quite rightly Lambert and Rodriguez got the call and both did quite well. Rodriguez is crocked this year and Lambert is perhaps showing that he was punching way above his weight at Southampton. A quick look down the top English scorers this season takes you to Berahino and he's rightly in the squad...and then Charlie is next. From a selfish point of view I want Charlie to have a full season in the Premiership with us and continue to grow into the role, he clearly has something. But if the other strikers continue to underperform then Roy may well have to give him a call. To think that Zamora is also out performing some of the other "international" strikers is amazing considering he can't really last 90 minutes. Keep him fit and he can be our focal point, however, play him too much and it's only a matter of time before his next season ending injury. It's great news for us that our two strikers are starting to look good together, it's bad news for England that any striker that plays well for a few games is touted for an England cap.
33 year old Bobby Z with his dicky hip being recalled for England? If Woy ever becomes that desperate then its time to just give up on the national team fellas. Its been an incredible turnaround for a bloke who most of us was slating as needing putting down only a few months ago and it shows fat Thony was more insightful than we were when he kept publicly backing the player to come good. But England? Christ Jesus
No need to give up on England, FIFA may give us no option, having found us guilty of dodgy practices in trying to secure the World Cup, but no one else (except the Aussies) especially the Russians and Qataris. Whilst the latter is literally unbelievable, I'm afraid I can easily imagine hamfisted English attempts to 'influence' the deeply influencable Jack Warner. Even more pathetically, they still failed to get the votes. The times when England was seen as a paragon of fairness and transparency are long gone, and were probably built on lies and propaganda anyway. This is a horribly corrupt country, we are no different to anywhere else - in the last couple of days we've had yet more cheating in the financial markets, dodgy goings on in local government, and our leading pharmaceuticals firm is leading the way in getting caught bribing its way to sales all over the place - even the f**ing Chinese, who love a bung, called time on them. Why should football be any different? Especially at the higher levels it's all about cash and ripping off the fans. Yep, 'Lord' Triesman offering to sponsor a 'gala dinner' for Warner for a mere £35k is easy to picture. The response to this will doubtless be another outraged outburst of xenophobia. Anti FIFA sentiment is well justified, but we won't be taking any time to look at ourselves.
The author of the report has now said he is going to appeal against it's findings on the basis that they have been misrepresented by FIFA. You're right that we are not above offering inducements, but I imagine ours were just not of the required scale.
Well at least for future consideration in his team selections, Roy, with Sir Les beside him, had the opportunity to see Charlie & OBZ in action together.
If Austin plays for England one of the big boys is going to try and buy him to make up for their strikers that aren't performing
Well we jumped in for England International Jay Bothroyd......now if only someone would pony up the money for our England International SWP (36 appearances, 6 goals).
The author of the report has totally discredited this mate. Whilst the FA were doubtless guilty of small time inducements, they pale into insignificance when compared to the completely corrupt (allegedly) FIFA..
Well there you go One very good televised match involving us and OBZ and Austin and they are now being considered by us smart public pundits to be good enough for England Our own fans have slated OBZ and I would say 80% on here wanted him gone from our club not so long ago This is the culture I am on about and how we in the UK at out out our fantasy England team .... It's puts massive pressure on the national team to a point when during just one match in one small competition it can mean everything to everyone in this country It's grown powerful It's a religion More so with the advances in technology that allow us all to have our say ... In the past we would only have the papers to moan about something that happened yesterday I agree that currently OBZ and Charlie are playing brilliantly but how any mind can then put these two players into a completely different football team playing at a completely level and standard think that could work England will never be allowed to become a team IMO until they are allowed to forge a better understanding about team spirit I agree however that a spine of a team can help do this ... West Ham won us the World Cup ? Germany France Spain grow team spirit first from the baseline it's understood and their players mainly play abroad from their own countries We on the other hand like to slot in fantasy players into a miss mash of a team then slag them off We have the players in this country no doubt about it .. It's the system and culture that is wrong OBZ and Austin for England is just a funny story ... Austin has a great chance however if he keeps it all going but then bigger clubs will buy him This is a lazy story by the very people that brainwash you Both our strikers are hard working and look to be real men that is the attraction here by British people who think that is how the game is played because we invented it ... We did then the world made it better OBZ in international football would be blown up every five minutes for a foul Austin currently is not quick enough in pace or thought Wellbeck Rooney Sturridge have to come above our two get real lads
