Hello, With the 2014 World Cup just around the corner and England team selection high on the media's agenda and something of significant interest to Southampton fans (how many of our players will go) I stumbled across the interesting statistic about the 2010 World Cup. Obviously this coincided with Portsmouth's halcyon times in The Premiership and I noticed that eight players from the Portsmouth squad were selected to represent various teams attending the 2010 World Cup, significantly higher than the number from Everton, Manchester City and Manchester United, as well as renowned European teams such as Lyon and AC Milan. I was wondering if anyone could remember who all eight were, I am not sure that I would have got more than half of them. Interesting all the same. Congratulations on your win yesterday - if only it had been a bit earlier you may have had a decent run and pushed for the play-offs!
Okay.... Without looking there was James (England), Boateng (Ghana), Yebda (Algeria), um that Ghana striker whose name I can't remember, Mokena (or however you spell his name), Diop (Senegal).... um, running out now.
Hi OROW....I can think of Kanu Utaka Belhadj James Muntari Moekoena Dindane Boateng - not sure if all of these were still with us by 2010 though and these may not all be right.....yes it seems like a lifetime ago tbh....our upturn has been much needed and if we make a safe mid-table finish I'll be happy....my expectations were not automatic promotion but did think we'd be in the top ten....it's been a big learning curve in Lge 2 - we've played decent football on occasion and some of the youngsters have really come on. Next season I'd like to think we'll be more physically ready and be a team from day 1. You will deservedly have at least 2 or 3 players going to the World Cup.
Good thread OROW. I reckon - David James / Nadir Belhadjj / Aaron Mokoena / Sulley Muntari / Kanu / John Utaka / Kevin - Prince Boateng / Jermaine Defoe ?
Okay, I think you got them all between you. Unsurprisingly there is a high African contingent which includes the good, the bad and frankly those who had completely skipped my mind; here is the list: Aaron Mokoena (South Africa) Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) John Utaka (Nigeria) David James (England) Nadir Belhadj (Algeria) Hassan Yebda (Algeria) Kevin Prince-Boateng (Ghana) Aruna Dindane (Ivory Coast) Glad to see you guys are settled and moving in the right direction . Next question is, how many Southampton players will make the 2014 World Cup? (I am going for four: Lovren, Ramirez, Lambert and Lallana)
Just as well Kanu never played for Scunthorpe as the censorship would be terrible with the swear filter :s!
Shaw is a very good player and should progress to an England regular. He is great coming forward but is still a little naive defensively, therefore I think Hodgson will pick Cole and Baines. I know most people think Baines is our best left back, and he certainly is offensively but he is still defensively weak at times - just watch him against Chile or even Crystal Palace last week. I still think Cole may be our first choice.
There should be a fifth - Yoshida. I am sure you are right about Shaw though, he will be in the backup training squad thingy for now.
Not sure about this. Both Shaw and Lambert could go, or neither. I guess a lot depends on being lucky on the injury front. Wearing my red and white specs, both make the cut. Lallana should be shoe-in, anyhow.
