Maple Lions

A June 7 scan will determine if he can make the cut by FIFA’s June 9 deadline. Jermain Defoe and Andy Johnson stand ready for call-up.

We may have to brace ourselves for the worst.  Losing a player who singlehandedly outscored the entire Italian team in Euro 2004 is a tough blow but the Beautiful Game has that remarkable element of chance which may prevail in our favour.

Paul Canniff

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Here’s a handy chart (pdf) from Sky showing all World Cup fixtures.

Mike C. 

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Rooney:

He’s traveling to Germany but only with the prospect of a further scan on June 14. As noted by one of our regular contributors, this is proving to be a tricky dilemma both medically and politically.  So count him out of the group stages for now.

Johnson:

Andy’s definitely on his way back to the Premiership.  Wigan and Bolton are both ready to pony up £8.5M for his services. I would hope that he tends towards Wigan:  Paul Jewell is getting it right at the JJB, whereas Big Sam has been failing in the clutch of late while on the road.  And I still hope that Andy gets a call-up for Germany in light of Rooney’s condition.  I will not hop onto the inexplicable bandwagon for the Merseyside Lurch.

Update: Now the Toffees have joined the bidding war for Johnson. I still stand by my observation above.

Paul Canniff

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Yesterday’s 2-1 defeat by Belarus in a friendly had its share of disappointments and hopeful notes for England.  Bear in mind that the first visitor goal resulted from Robert Green klanging a goalkick as he suffered a very painful groin rupture.  As a keeper myself, I can imagine what he endured and so my best wishes go out to him for a full and speedy recovery.  Sadly, he is out for duty in Germany but Liverpool’s Scott Carson has stepped into the breach.

Theo Walcott and especially Aaron Lennon received kudos for their first runouts.  I have marveled out Lennon’s bursts of speed in the box in season games and it is telling that the Belarussians had to mark him with two players.

Paul Canniff

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Wayne Rooney says his target for return to international play is the June 20 match against Sweden.

Paul Canniff

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On May 25 Michael Owen takes to the field in a friendly against Belarus and Wayne Rooney undergoes a scan that will determine if he will be fit for World Cup duty.

Paul Canniff 

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Though French dreams of conquest unfolded today as they have throughout history, Sol Campbell turned in an outstanding performance that bodes well for England next month.

Paul Canniff 

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Sven on his new Karate Kid:

“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.”

Well, if he puts it that way…

Paul Canniff

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Throughout the EPL season we saw Sven perched in the stands at the great — and not so great — temples of English football.  And then he picks a World Cup-bound striker without ever seeing him play in an actual match:

“I’ve seen him perhaps three times in training,” said Eriksson. “At Arsenal training on Saturday I saw him play 11 against 11 on a half pitch.

“You can see how good the technique is because space is very small. And I saw him do some finishing.”

Meanwhile, Jermaine Defoe and Andy Johnson are on standby.

Truly, Sven has set the controls for the heart of the sun.

Paul Canniff 

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Theo Walcott was taking his driving test when his selection for Germany was announced.

Damian P.

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