Rio's Decision To Retire From England Duty A Brave And Sensible One

But for Chelsea’s late late Europa League final win over Benfica, the football world’s big talking-point today would be Rio Ferdinand’s decision to retire from England duty.

Click to read more ...

As has been so often the case down the years when England slump to a disappointing result, a Manchester United player unfairly gets singled out for blame.

After the fall out of Roy Hodgson’s side’s 1-1 draw in Podgorica against Montenegro, some England ‘supporters’ decided to lay the blame fully on Danny Welbeck for the team dropping two points.

Click to read more ...

Patriotic, idiotic England supporters have got their knickers in a twist regarding Rio Ferdinand's decision to make himself unavailable for representing England in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro, following a recent call up by manager Roy Hodgson.

Click to read more ...

You put your centre half in, your centre half out, your centre half in and you shake him all about, you do the Rio cokey and you turn around, that's what it's all about.

This seems to be the strategy adopted by Roy Hodgson over Rio-gate, the latest in the saga following the badly handled Terry situation.

Click to read more ...

Manchester United comfortably beat Sunderland today.The 3-1 scoreline flatters the visitors as it could easily have been 6-1 had Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie not missed their chances. Rooney, RvP and the increasingly impressive Tom Cleverley got the goals as United ran out comfortable winners.

Click to read more ...

Take your mind back to the summer of 2011.

Back then Samir Nasri was on his way out of Arsenal, another one of Arsene Wenger’s big-name players that was being priced out of the Emirates. His destination it always seemed was Manchester, but people were unsure of whether he would be lining up in a red or a blue shirt.

Click to read more ...

In a game that suggested that the pitch was sloping, which ironically might have allowed it to drain and so allow play on a day when there were England fans present, the latest showcasing of English talent was truly a game of two halves.

With Roy Hodgson, determined to put his stamp on the team, there was more than a little Manchester United déjà vu, about a side that looked exposed on its left flank and stronger on the right side, with 2 attacking midfielders in a rather loose 4-4-2 structure.

Click to read more ...

England predictably thrashed San Marino with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck both scoring twice on Friday, getting their first goals of the season as a result. Both on another day could have bagged a hat-trick, but they will no doubt both go home pleased their performances.

Click to read more ...

England face San Marino at Wembley tomorrow. Roy Hodgson’s side are expected to win heavily, after all, the tiny landlocked republic are ranked a paltry 207th and last in the FIFA World Rankings and have lost all but 6 of their 114 Internationals.

Realistically what can England expect to achieve from this match. What can Hodgson learn from his squad and how can the players that are involved benefit by playing?

Click to read more ...

Four Premier Leagues, one UEFA Champions League, one FIFA Club World Cup, one League Cup and four Community Shield winners medals. That medal haul surpasses the majority of England’s top clubs, let alone players.

Yet 11 medals in six seasons can only equate to 24 international caps, surely the maths doesn’t make sense?

Welcome to the international career of Michael Carrick.

Click to read more ...

Michael Carrick’s career dossier so far is very impressive. He has over three hundred Premier League appearances, has won four Premier League titles, a Champions League medal and a FIFA Club World Cup with Manchester United in just six seasons, there is very little the midfielder hasn’t won in his club career.

Click to read more ...

England bounced back from a horrid start to the second-half to earn a thrilling win over Sweden to keep their chances of getting out of Group D and into the Euro 2012 quarter-finals well and truly still alive.

Click to read more ...