World Cup Update

UPDATE No.1

Well, I suppose the big news yesterday was that the England final 23 was announced. It's been much discussed on the site already, so let me just say that I'm glad that Walcott didn't make the plane, glad that Joe Cole and Steven Warnock did, and gutted that Scott Parker and Michael Dawson didn't make it.

The squad is:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, David James, Robert Green.

Defenders: Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock

Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Forwards: Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney

For my money we shouldn't be thinking of playing Ferdinand, Terry, Lampard, Gerrard or Rooney and Heskey until the Round of 16 at the very earliest, unless we have either qualified early and can afford them a light stroll in a meaningless last group game, or in dire emergency.

There are players there who need to play themselves in, and the players mentioned need longer to be fully fit for the important games. It works from both sides of the coin, and the 'second string' players should be easily capable of beating our group opposition.

in other news.....

Samuel Eto'o got himself sent off as Cameroon lost in a friendly with Portugal. Eto'o is still mightily pissed off at Roger Milla having a pop at him in the local press, and this won't help his mood.

Marchello Lippi left the only non-Italian based player out of his final squad, Guiseppe Rossi of Villareal. Francesco Totti also failed to make the plane despite coming out of retirement to lend the Azzzuri a hand.

Disgusting Fatbody Benni McCarthy was left out by South Africa. Rumours that the local federation couldn't afford the excess baggage charges on the West Ham lard arse are unfounded. The rest of the Saffa squad had a good night out, beating Guatemala 5-0 in their penultimate warm-up game.

The Cloggies handed out a sound thrashing to potential England R16 opponents Ghana last night, goals from Kuyt, Van der Vaart, Wesley Snijder and Van Persie sealed a 4-1 victory for the Dutch. Hup Holland!

Chelsea youngster and FvdE 'one to watch' Miroslav Stotch made the final squad for Slovakia, after impressing on loan at FC Twente and scoring 12 goals on their run in to the Dutch league title.

Friendly results:

Australia 1-0 Denmark
Netherlands 4-1 Ghana
Portugal 3-1 Cameroon
Switzerland 0-1 Costa Rica

The Salford Red Devils have signed Mexico striker Javier Hernandez subject to a work permit. Meanwhile Giovanni Dos Santos has threatened to quit the squad over the exclusion of his brother. oh bless.

Harry Redknapp is definitely not tapping up Scott Parker with a page long soliloquy to the West Ham midfielder published in the Daily Mail today.

The Straylian's have failed to submit their final 23 man squad before the FIFA deadline. Maybe they just can't read to well, or they left the team sheet in the pub or something.

Oh, and Marca in Spain is saying that Stevie G is on his way to lead The Special One's Real revival.