Eriksson said: 'Maybe it is my biggest, bravest, boldest gamble.'
I guess that's a luxury you have when you've already submitted your resignation to be effective immediately after the WC.
I'm glad to see him do something exciting for a change. England has gotten to be a bit too predictable. If the kid scores an important goal, how much do you think his autographed picture would be worth on eBay?
From ESPN soccernet
Walcott says he can handle the pressure
Theo Walcott believes he can handle the pressure of playing at the World Cup after being named in England's 23-man squad at the age of 17.
The Arsenal forward, yet to play a competitive game for the Gunners, was the shock inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's provisional squad.
Walcott, who was playing for Southampton in the Coca-Cola Championship six months ago, insists he will take it in his stride if he is called on in Germany.
'I've played in front of big crowds before and it's going to be different but I think I can handle it.
'I'm just going to give it my best.'
At the time of the squad announcement Walcott was taking his driving theory test and was oblivious to all the fuss.
'I was taking my driving test in Southgate,' he said. 'I switched off my phone and put it in my locker.
'I turned it back on at 3pm, phoned my dad and could not believe it was true really.
'He said to me you're in the England squad and I thought he was having me on. I was shocked and surprised as everyone was.
He added: 'My first thoughts were that I can't believe this is true. First the move to Arsenal and then this, it is unbelievable.'
Walcott did not speak to Eriksson yesterday but confirmed the outgoing England chief called him this morning.
'He spoke to me today to wish me all the best and said he is looking forward to watching me train in Portugal.
'Most players don't get to go to a World Cup - I'm the lucky one.
'Becoming England's youngest player would be something special, the likes of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney were put in at young ages and if I do something like they've done in their careers it would be special.'
Sven is out of his mind. He has never even seen Walcott play in a match!!
From
www.worldsoccer.com:He said, "I've seen him perhaps three times in training. At Arsenal training on Saturday I saw him play 11 against 11 on a half pitch.
I was starting to think about him in January, February and March," stated Eriksson.
"The first thing I had to check was whether he can handle it and everyone we spoke to said yes. He is a very steady boy.
"I don't think Walcott or Arsene Wenger thinks he is going to play seven games of 90 minutes in the World Cup.
"If you expect him to have the impact Pele had in 1958, we are talking about the wrong things but I am excited about it."
Eriksson's assistant has seen him play in a match but still, I think that is ridiculous. The Sven era has not been the best for England and he has made another bad decision to include a 17 year old who doesn't play regularly with Arsenal's first team over players like Wright-Phillips and Defoe.
the man is crazy it would be like asking a JV player to start on a college team!!!
Theo Walcott Video I've no idea how good the video is b/c I can't get it to work. Let me know how it goes for you!!
Njoi
Horrible idea to take Walcott! AND leave Dent out?? They would be better off with Robbie Fowler even though he is not in the English WC circle. Stupid decision, the kid will never see the field and England really need another quality front runner. Joe Cole is the only horse! Owen will not be WC fit,Crouch is a back up and it is doubtfull if Roooney will even be available. This is a decision made by a guy who only knows how to knock up a FA secretary!!
Atleast Dent is a proven commodity! Would Bruce take Freddy? And atleast Freddy has played for the USMNT team before....What a numpty!
Walcott = Going to crumble under the pressure and isnt going to do anything in the first place.
But its great for him. He has good skill but isnt on the WC level yet.
Kinda like Wright Phillips....but SWP is a little better.
Shaun Wright Phillips definately should have made the squad. Even though he did not play consistently with Chelsea (barely), he is still a huge threat with his speed. Moreover it is safe to say that he more dangerous and better than Lennon, Walcott, Crouch, and Downing.
Aaron Lennon has made a massive impact in the Premiership over the last few months. He has incredible pace and ability to beat people, as well as producing consistent dangerous balls into the box. Out of the few you named there zidane10 Lennon has by far the best form and his confidence must be sky-high (unlike Shaun W-P).
It looks as though Sven will play with one up (Crouch) and look to flood his midfield with either Lennon/Beckham on the right with either Ashley Cole or Wayne Bridge providing the width on the left.
With the players he has brought Sven has given himself a massive range of options in the tactics he can deploy plus he has unknown quantities at the international level such as Walcott, Lennon and Downing. Remember Owen's impact in 1998??
What do you think of Shaun Wright Phillips? and do you agree with his decision not to pick Shaun Wright Phillips?
At some point, you have to build for the future. Realistically, there are only 14 players who can play in a game at a time. This means that only a handful of players will see playing time. Why not take 1-2 young players for experience sake, like Brazil did with Ronaldo.
The US took an experienced #3 GKer in Tony Meola to Korea/Japan with the excuse of "what happens if"... instead of taking old players to fill the end of your bench, why not start to build World Cup experience in young players?
What has Peter Crouch done to deserve a spot? He has routinely disappeared and/or been marked out of games b/c of his stiffness and inability to move. Shaun Wright-Phillips is the classic example of moving to a better club and seeing NO playing time is actually detrimental to a player's playing career, although it may be beneficial to their bank account. (see Tim Howard).
There are better players playing for smaller clubs in the Premiership that deserve spots over these two. Also, a 75% Wayne Rooney is better than a 100% Peter Crouch.
Peter Crouch may not be the most prolific goalscorer, but he provides some things that England otherwise would not have. He obviously provides a height advantage that none of the other forwards have, but he is also able to hold the ball up better then either Owen or Walcott.
VOR,
Peter Crouch is a weapon! Not only is his height a tremendous advantage but he moves well and has a very good touch for a guy 6" 7".
With Owen and Rooney not at 100%, Gerrard and Crouch are two great options paired together up top. Or play Cole and Crouch up top together and see what synergy is created by two opposite ends of the spectrum.
Peter Crouch is a weapon alright, but not one I would use in the World Cup. Come on now, with all the will in the world Crouch is not world class.
Fowler and Defoe should be in before him. I would have taken Sheringham before I took him.
Fowler and Sheringham are done. No pace left. I think Teddy got a longer look than he wanted in that FA final. He was coming on to take a bow and enjoy the moment (well-deserved) but he ended up getting more minutes than he bargained for (nice PK he took though).
Robbie.....ain't God no more.
I agree Fowler is not what he was, but he is 10 times more dangerous as a finisher than Crouch could ever dream of being. If we assume Owen and Rooney are not in the team on any given game, the thought that Crouch and Walcott is the strike force, that is scary. Fowler brings experience and finishing.
The fact that I would consider Sheringham shows how lightweight the strikers are in this squad after Rooney and Owen.
The midfield that we have is always going to create chances for strikers. Unless we use Joe Cole as a striker or even Gerard, we could have trouble scoring.
Worst case scenario is Owen isn't fit enough in the group stages, Rooney doesn't make it and we don't even qualify out of the group.!!
Cole and Gerrard up top together is a lot of fire power. Would there be enough left in the midfield?
That's the big question. England have long had a problem fielding a world class natural left footed wide player. Joe Cole appeared to be the answer going into the World Cup even though he is not naturally a left footer. Now with the talk of Cole and/or Gerard having to go up front it does beg the question about the midfield. All along I think Lampard and Gerard as a central pairing is not a good match. Liverpool play Gerard on the right, so what do you do with Beckham??
They have put Downing in the squad who is left footed but I would have preferred to see Keiran Richardson there.
If they play Cole up front I think Gerard should play right, Lampard and Carrick central and Lennon or Downing wide left if they want to be an outright attacking threat.
If they want to play careful and cautious which Sven is likely to do, then you may see Hargreaves
on the left and Beckham on the right with Carrick making way for a Lampard/Gerard midfield.
This is where they may run into trouble and end up chasing games because they cannot score.
I can see a win against T&T but a draw against Paraguay and a draw against Sweden which would probably put us out if Sven goes this route. He is not a good tactician at all.!
How much is Sven going to want Beckham on the field? If the answer is more than often, then Gerrard will have to be in the middle or up top.
If Gerrard is up top (paired with Owen or Crouch), then Cole can play left midfield.
I can see many scenarios in which Beckham does not even get on the field given the make up of the squad. My worry is I don't think Sven has the guts to drop his captain. Beckham shouldn't really be captain anyway, he does not have the personality. It Should be either Terry, Lampard or Gerard.
I don't think Crouch should see the field at all unless we are down to only 11 fit players. I would play Gary neville up top before him.
The sort of game that benefits a striker like him just does not work in World Cup play. He will be very easy for the type of defender we are likely to meet to handle.
to be competitive in such a difficult world tournement, you need to play expierence. i am sure that there is at least one other english striker that is out of his teens and has actually played in a premiership match! England will be hurting for this ridiculous and absolutely unnecessary roster selection.
Due to personnel, England will play a conventional 4-4-2: Robinson, Neville, Terry, Campbell, Cole, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Owen and Crouch. Sweden has England's number and Paraguay did well in qualifying and has their best generation of players, so they shouldn't be overlooked.
Perhaps Sven is thinking of Sweden in 1958. And before you say anything, nobody had even heard of him then.
Beezer:
The 4-4-2 is fine but the line up you put out is suicide for England. Campbell was never good enough for England even in his prime, he is a liability.
Robinson in goal, back 4 of Neville, Ferdinand, Terry and Cole. I would but Carragher into defence before Campbell.
Midfield of Gerard, Lampard, Carrick and Lennon.
Up front Cole and Owen.
Good luck England, you'll need it with Sven in charge.
Bazza,
I can't believe he will leave Beckham on the bench. I saw an interview on FSC (may have been Bobby Charlton?) where he said Carragher should play ahead of Ferdinand because Ferdinand plays around with the ball too much.
Hurst66,
I saw that interview too and it was Jack Charlton, Bobby's brother and former Republic of Ireland manager. Big Jack is a firm believer in defenders who play a no nonsense type game, just banging it in to row Z every chance they get. He said Ferdinand liked to 'play" too much, meaning if he got caught in posession at that level it could cost us. He is right to some extent. Rio does have his lapses in concentration and I would have no problem with playing Carragher.
Campbell is just not up to it at that level. He cost us dearly in the last World Cup.
If you watched the Champions League final you will have seen Samuel Eto'o turn him inside out when he hit that shot against the post.
But if you look at the squad and where we have holes and the fact that Gerard and Lampard are not a good fit as a central pairing, then the thing to do is to play Gerard where his club plays him and thats on the right.
The only way to get Beckham on the field is to play Gerard up front and drop either Owen or Cole. Or drop Lennon and play Cole wide left.
I just like the idea of Lennon because he is tricky and fast and there is virtually no scouting info out there about him.
I'd drop Lennon. Cole, Gerrard and Beckham all need to be on the field.
I've seen Sol spun dizzy more than once this season. He was horrible in his last match before the "meltdown".
How do you feel about Beckham as captain??
I just don't think he's vocal enough and doesn't seem to be the type of personality to fire the players up if we are in a corner.
I agree with you that Terry seems to fit the profile of the captain......but Beckham has earned the title with his play and experience over the years.
The last paragraph from Nick Hornby's essay in the June 2006 issue of National Geographic:
The England fans who went to the 2005 friendly match against Argentina (resulting in a meaningless but enthralling last-minute win) were still singing their "No surrender to the IRA" song, and there's more than a suspicion that they'd rather be watching Terry Butcher and his fixed bayonets than David Beckham, a man who, after all, has been photographed wearing a sarong. But then, that's England all over at the moment. We'd still rather be bombing the Germans; but after 60 years, there's a slowly dawning suspicion that those days aren't coming back any time soon, and in the meantime we must rely on sarong-wearing, multimillionaire pretty boys to kick the Argies for us. We're not happy about it, but what can we do?