What’s an unknown benefit to flogging off your best players? No international duty disruptions, or the senseless and damaging injuries that seem to trail them, that’s what! We take a break from the post-transfer window prevarications to outline where the current squad lay on their respective home country’s footballing radars:
(patterned on the squad for Bristol City)
Danny Coyne – no longer, if ever, relevant for Wales…16 senior caps since 1996
Tony McMahon – no England activity apart from U-17, U-18 levels
David Wheater – his star has faded recently, but the Redcar Rock will surely resurface after garnering Fabio Capello’s attention – 3 total call-ups, twice named a substitute for friendlies v France and Trinidad & Tobago
Jonathan Grounds – no tangible English experience…still making a name for himself, admirably, at club level
Andrew Taylor – an England U-21 stalwart, which is surprising cos he rarely impresses in our shirt
Mark Yeates – yet to make an imprint for Ireland, who seem overpopulated w/ likeable midfield grafters and scamps who can’t quite sustain the desired quality and class
Adam Johnson – destined to break w/ the next wave of English regulars – he may succeed where his predecessor didn’t: making the left wing of England his alone
Rhys Williams – national ambivalence saw the young starlet turn out for Wales at youth levels, only to oscillate back to his country of birth, Australia…part of the extended squad selected for the Socceroos successful World Cup qualifying campaign
Julio Arca – only repatriation to a neophyte nation could resuscitate a long dead international career
Leroy Lita – impressed at the 2007 U-21 European Championships for England – botched a notable penalty v Czech Republic early in the competition, but registered goals in the next three contests…named to the UEFA Dream Team for the event
Marvin Emnes – excelled in limited duty for the Holland U-17s…now featuring for the U-21s…scored a brace during a friendly earlier this year in a friendly we embarrassingly cannot locate
Substitutes – Jason Steele will keep goal for England seniors eventually; Justin Hoyte had his run at England U-21 level; Seb Hines may want to invoke his American eligibility to assure glory for country; Josh Walker, Joe Bennett and Jonathan Franks are still nascent to the English scene; et Jeremie Aliadiere…vitesse supérieure non française
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