Roy Hodgson has the honour of taking England into the European Championships this summer. It should be the start of four great years in charge for the former Liverpool and Inter Milan manager.
It will also be the start of four years for when every tom, dick and harry (not Redknapp!) around the country will think that they know more about football than Hodgson, selecting their own England squads in the process.
With Euro 2012 looming, here would be the 23 players I would take to Poland and Ukraine, not that I think we have a cats-chance of winning the tournament.
Goalkeepers:
Joe Hart, Rob Green, John Ruddy
Hart is one of the first names on the teamsheet and has been tremendous since becoming the the no.1. Green’s had a solid season at West Ham and has been the no.2 keeper over the last 2 years.
Despite Hodgson’s relationship with Ben Foster at West Brom, it would be a nice touch if Norwich City’s Ruddy would get the nod as the third keeper. Foster’ll probably go though.
Defenders:
Ashley Cole, Micah Richards, Phil Jones, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Leighton Baines, Kyle Walker
The big decision that Hodgson faces is whether he can pick both Terry and Ferdinand in the wake of Terry’s race-row with Rio’s brother Anton. It’s a sensitive subject and either way if only one can be picked England will be weaker as a result.
Despite being run ragged at Liverpool, Terry would get the edge solely because he has forged a partnership with Cahill for club and country over the season and it might be dangerous to break that up going into a major tournament.
Midfielders:
Scott Parker, Adam Johnson, Ashley Young, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Michael Carrick, Theo Walcott
Midfield is where it gets complicated. It’s important that England have wingers who can cross the ball so Aaron Lennon sadly misses out with Johnson, Walcott and Young getting in instead of the Spurs wide-man who has struggled at Internationl level.
In the centre with Jack Wilshere out, Lampard and Gerrard will get the chance to end their International careers on a high. Gareth Barry despite being an England regular misses out for me with Carrick after a fine season getting the nod instead.
Strikers:
Wayne Rooney, Danny Sturride, Peter Crouch, Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll
As for the strikers despite Grant Holt having an outstanding season, I would include Carroll in my squad. He has ended the season well and looks confident in his ability for the first time since he left Newcastle. He looks a threat and would be worth the risk in any squad.
Despite being a big fan of Jermain Defoe, he would miss out in my squad with his place going to Chelsea’s Sturridge. Crouch would get one last chance after a fine season to add to his 22 International goals as a result of Bent being injured although, perhaps I am being too top-heavy having three big-men in my squad.
Then again I am not the one with the responsibility of picking the squad that’s Hodgson’s problem (albeit a nice one) to deal with!
By Adam Dennehey @ADennehey87
Whilst Lennon hasn't played because of injury and what not, he is always a threat and his end product has been much better this season considering the stick he gets. Take his goal againsrt Fulham, the assist for Adebayor against Swansea and the cross for Bale to hit the bar against Blackburn the other week.
The strikers situation is difficult and I think the only two who should definitely go are Defoe and Rooney. Defoe's goalscoring record is impressive considering he's started less than half the games and he holds the record for most goals as a substitute. Whilst Bent is also a cracking finisher, Defoe is equally as good at finishing and can create something out of nothing whereas Bent hasn't really got another side to his game. Only gripe with Defoe is that he gets taken out of games too easily sometimes but against Ukraine and Sweden he'll have an impact.
Grant Holt is in the Zamora and Carlton Cole category of having one good season in the top flight and being completely over-hyped for being an English goal scorer. Welbeck has only had a few good games this season and gives the ball away far too often, I would take Sturridge over him if I had to even though I'm a United fan. In terms of sending Crouch, it just resembles the old squad far too much and if that's the case we might as well take Heskey just for the crack. The younger players will be hungrier and play their hearts out where the 'golden generation' won't. I'd love to have someone in the middle instead of Gerrard and Lampard but there isn't really anyone else; Scott Parker definitely has to captain though.
I think Rio should go over Terry because he's had a more consistent season and there's a lot less controversy surrounding him. If Terry can't keep his cool in his hometown club's most important game then how's he going to act for England?
As much as I dislike him since joining City, Lescott's tackling stats suggest he should go as he's had the best tackling success rate in the league. Carrick over Barry is a brilliant shout and Baines deserves to start over Ashley Cole. And I'm sick of all this sudden Andy Carroll hype, for the majority of the season he's been a second rate player and just because he's had a few good games it doesn't make him our saving grace, a bit like Oxlade-Chamberlain. Typical of English media and people to over-hype someone because it's an easy assumption to make. Wasn't Gareth Barry meant to be our saviour at the World Cup just because he missed the first game?
With Rooney playing we should play a 4-5-1 like this:
Hart
Walker Terry/Lescott/Richards Ferdinand Baines
Parker
Lennon/Walcott Gerrard/Carrick Carrick/Lampard Young/Johnson
Rooney
For when Rooney isn't playing I think Defoe should definitely start, it's just a question of who he partners up front because he tends to work well with a partner, in particular someone tall. I don't really like England's tall options up front so it might be worth putting him in with someone pacey as a second striker, like Sturridge or even Walcott as his finishing has been much improved this season and he prefers playing up front to on the wing. Then it's just a case of who to play with Parker which will inevitably be either Gerrard or Lampard unless we're playing a tougher opponent where he can go for the more defensive option of Carrick.
As long as Downing, Carroll and Barry don't go. and Lennon, Defoe and Carrick go I'll probably be happy.
Delighted that Smalling misses out too, he's by nowhere near good enough.
I'd play 4-2-1-2-1.
Hart
Richards, Cahill, Lescott, Cole
Carrick Parker
Lampard
Sturridge Young
Welbeck(Rooney)
The 23-man squad:
Hart, Robert Green, Ben Foster
Jones, Richards, Cahill, Lescott, Cole, Baines, Walker
Carrick, Barry, Parker, Lampard, Gerrard, Young, Lennon, Adam Johnson
Rooney, Welbeck, Crouch, Holt, Sturridge