Wilshere and Young provide bright glimpse of England's future

England 1 Ghana 1

The England players including Leighton Baines show their disgust while Ghana's Asamoah Gyan wheels away in delight after scoring his late equaliser at Wembley last night

For a second-rate, waste-of-time, what-are-we-doing-here friendly bereft of the A-list players in Fabio Capello's squad, this match was not a bad evening's entertainment at all. Or could it be that those who complained that Capello and the Football Association had callously short-changed the paying public by sending home Wayne Rooney early got their call badly wrong?

At the end of 93 minutes, two goals – including Andy Carroll's first for England – and two England international debuts, the value of this game was patently clear. The magnificent 20,000 Ghana fans at Wembley were going nuts celebrating Asamoah Gyan's deserved injury-time equaliser. Meanwhile, Capello had glimpsed the future of England and declared that he liked what he saw.

This was a great friendly match, one of the best the new stadium has seen, and in front of 80,102 people who kept the faith that the brightest young team in Africa against the promising next generation of English players might just produce a few moments of interest. It did not disappoint. England played their best football in the first half, including Carroll's goal, before Ghana came back after the break.

There was another masterclass from Jack Wilshere and Ashley Young's best performance in 14 England caps. There were debuts for Matt Jarvis and Danny Welbeck, only called into the squad yesterday but, Capello later said, a player he had marked out as one for the future long ago. Welbeck was not capped, Capello said, because the Manchester United man, on-loan at Sunderland, has Ghanaian heritage.

Under Fifa rules a friendly cap would not necessarily preclude Welbeck from playing for Ghana but Capello talked about him in such glowing terms that it would be hard for him to switch sides now. Funnily enough, if Capello had played this team in the Hungary friendly in August right after the World Cup he would have been praised for axing the team everyone was cheesed off with. Seven months on and you can feel the wind of change rustling through this side.

The 4-3-3 formation that was built around Scott Parker in Cardiff on Saturday is now Capello's system of choice. In Parker's absence it was used throughout last night and it survived four substitutions in the second half. This seems like the way that England will play from now on. If Capello's beloved 4-4-2 system really is dead it is remarkable that it took the challenge of matching up to humble Wales to make him change his mind.

Just one point of order. Amid all the new faces, Capello should have treated one of his most reliable performers better. Peter Crouch has not played a minute in the last two games despite being earmarked for a second-half run-out last night. With 22 goals in 42 caps, he must feel like the invisible man. Also, what is the point of keeping Robert Green on the bench when he has not played since the United States game at the World Cup? He deserves better, too.

With their supporters screeching at every touch from Gyan in Ghana's first international match against England since the country declared independence from Britain in 1957, this never felt like just another friendly. The winger Dominic Adiyah looked sharp although he lost his nerve when he ran on goal in the seventh minute and Joe Hart made the first of two excellent first-half saves from him.

Hart looked a bit wobbly at times. He made a second brilliant one-handed save from Adiyah on 27 minutes and then five minutes later gave the ball to Gyan on the edge of his own box. England survived that time but it was in keeping with the slightly chaotic feel to the game.

Young was the stand-out performer for England, especially in the first half. On 10 minutes he struck a curling shot from Stewart Downing's knockdown that drew a good save from Richard Kingson. He then missed from four yards out when James Milner's cross eluded the entire Ghana defence. It was a bad one but it was coming quickly and Young scooped it up with the outside of his right foot and against the crossbar.

Downing looked on his game too. It was just a pity his best chance of the game was on his right foot rather than his left and was hit wildly over the bar. With two minutes left in the first half, Downing looked like he was trying to control a chipped ball from Young but his heavy touch created space for Carroll to shoot across the goal, through John Mensah's legs and past Kingson.

Carroll's goal came at the end of what was a fairly average first half for him. His touch was far from perfect at times, especially when he got rather too much on a ball which he tried to knock ahead of him up the left wing. He did not have much of the service that he once thrived on at Newcastle United – the early cross into the box – but he may well find that is a feature of life at international level.

The expectation was that Capello would bring Carroll off at half-time but instead he gave him an hour and when Jermain Defoe came on in his place the 4-3-3 formation was retained. Latterly, Capello brought on Jarvis for his international debut on the right side of the front three. Defoe played down the middle. Young moved left.

England struggled to contain Ghana in the latter stages. Phil Jagielka made a good challenge on Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu in the box. The Ghana pressure increased. There was an uncharacteristically cynical lunge from Milner who ran a set of studs down the back of Gyan's leg on 74 minutes.

But Ghana's World Cup star had the final say. In injury-time he held off Gary Cahill and turned substitute Joleon Lescott one way and then the other before side-footing the ball past Hart. The Ghana team had got the draw they deserved and which even Capello would not have begrudged them. It was not the end to the evening the England manager had envisaged, but he would later reflect that it was not a bad night's work at all.

Man of the match: Young.

Match rating: 8/10.

Referee: C Cakir (Turkey).

Attendance: 80,102.

Source : The Independent 30 March 2011

Defiant, unapologetic and emotional: Terry snatches back England armband

Defender concedes he is not a universal first choice but only regrets that criticism of Capello during last year's World Cup became public

John Terry speaks to the press yesterday for the first time since being reappointed England captain

It only ever became uncomfortable when, at the end of his press briefing yesterday, John Terry was asked about the possibility of one day rekindling his friendship with Wayne Bridge and the new England captain answered tersely in the negative without any attempt at charm.

Other than that, the return of Terry to the England captaincy, precisely one year, one month and 19 days since he was sacked by Fabio Capello was another classic performance from one of the most controversial figures in modern English football. Was he about to say sorry? No. Did he have anything to say sorry about? Debatable.

Will he be able to keep his nose clean from now on? Who knows?

Whatever your view on Terry, no one could deny he is one tough customer. The storm that engulfed his life 13 months ago – involving his former friend Bridge, Bridge's ex-fiancée Vanessa Perroncel and an old-fashioned sex scandal – might have destroyed weaker characters but here was Terry, chipper as ever, ready to lead England out as captain against Wales in Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier, in his third stint in the job.

At various moments yesterday he was self-deprecating, light-hearted and, when the mood took him, even emotional. What he was not was apologetic.

A younger Terry, more eager to please and less sure of himself, might have been talked into admitting to a few faults of his own but those days are long gone. A couple of hours earlier he had stood on the training pitch at Arsenal's training ground and listened while Capello explained to the squad that he had been reinstated as captain and if there were any questions they should be aired there and then.

Unsurprisingly, no one raised a hand. For Terry that is enough to put to bed all those stories about him being an unpopular figure in the dressing room. Fair enough, but these are professional footballers we are talking about. They have plenty to say in private to agents and confidantes but offer them a public forum for their views and they tend to stare at their toes and keep their counsel.

"As we get older, we live and learn. We move on," Terry said. "As a man, as a player, we can see I've moved on, on and off the field. I concentrate on doing the right thing, playing well for Chelsea and for my country. I feel I've done that. I don't want to get into too much detail about 'moving on', but it's a massive thing for me today. The emotion is quite overwhelming. I'm delighted on a personal note."

There was no major peace offering to Capello following his decision to strip Terry of the captaincy last February. He accepted it at the time, Terry said, but that did not mean he agreed with it.

"I didn't agree with the decision [to sack him in February], which I told them face to face, but I said I respected their decision and I'll continue to work hard," Terry said. "I could understand it a little bit, but once they spoke to me – and once again it's difficult for legal reasons to go into detail – I just felt I didn't deserve to lose the armband."

That caveat of "legal reasons" was dropped in more than once by Terry, although he did not expand on what those reasons were, much less what they restricted him from saying. What was not in doubt was that this must be a man so confident he must be sure that there are no skeletons in the cupboard that could embarrass him again.

Although it was just the Perroncel saga and the ensuing media firestorm for which he was sacked by Capello, there was before that an ill-judged email in November 2009 offering to companies the chance to sign an endorsement deal with the England captain. It was an embarrassment.

"I never tried to cash in on anything," Terry said. "There was an issue with the statement [email] that went out initially, that had nothing to do with me. It was a company that didn't represent me. I've never cashed in. I'm not the best looking guy anyway, so people aren't going to want me spread all over the place. But I've never tried to cash in on the England captaincy."

Observing Terry, the thought occurred that this unflappable aspect of his character must be what Capello admires so much to go through the upheaval of reappointing him. Terry may not be, in his own words, "everyone's cup of tea" but he knows that football tends to reward those who do not wilt under the pressure. He could never be accused of that.

He was unrepentant about his outspoken criticism of Capello after the Algeria game during last summer's turgid World Cup although there was one concession that in the future he would not be quite so open. "I just wouldn't come out publicly and say what I said," Terry said. "It would stay in-house. That's what I learnt.

"I didn't want to go home from the World Cup early. I thought we had a real chance with the squad we had. It was our time. People were peaking in their careers. English teams had had a good time in Europe for four or five years and gained a lot of top-level experience. I thought that would bode well for that tournament. I wasn't prepared to sit back and accept that. Looking back, certain things I shouldn't have said, but I can still hold my head up high."
Not even the criticism of him last year from the Wales striker Craig Bellamy – "I know what JT is like and nothing surprises me about it" – affected his composure. Yesterday Terry played the role of England captain well. The challenge now is how long he can keep it like that.

Terry timeline

29 January 2010 A High Court injunction is lifted, leaving media outlets free to report details of John Terry's alleged affair with the ex-girlfriend of former team-mate Wayne Bridge.

5 February Terry is called to a Wembley meeting with Fabio Capello, where he is stripped of the captaincy. Rio Ferdinand replaces him.

27 February Bridge, who retired from international football earlier the same week, refuses to shake Terry's hand as Manchester City visit Chelsea for a league match.

3 March In first England game since losing the captaincy, Terry is booed by sections of Wembley crowd during a 3-1 win over Egypt. Captain's armband is passed around players, with Terry later claiming "they would have given it to one of the stewards ahead of me. It was disrespectful."

20 June Terry speaks of dressing room disharmony following poor start to World Cup. Capello calls outburst "a very big mistake."

19 March 2011 Capello restores the Chelsea defender to the captaincy, claiming "one year's punishment is enough."

 Source : The Independent 23 March 2011

John Terry insists he has backing of England squad

Terry revealed Rio Ferdinand had called him

John Terry admitted today he was "not everyone's cup of tea" after being reinstated as England captain but insisted he had the backing of the whole squad.

England boss Fabio Capello took the controversial decision to reinstate the Chelsea defender last week in place of the injured Ferdinand, just over a year after he was stripped of the armband following allegations of an affair with the ex-girlfriend of then international team-mate Wayne Bridge.

"I'm not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but it is the decision the manager has taken," Terry said.

"Respect for the players around me and the manager has always been there.

"When the manager confronted the team on the training pitch (this morning to tell them of Terry's reinstatement), he asked the players if they had any questions and nobody spoke. Nobody said a world to the manager, nobody said a word to me."

Terry added: "I think as a group of players we're coming here looking forward to playing for our country and looking forward to putting on the shirt."

Terry revealed Ferdinand had called him to wish him well.

"Rio called me which was a very nice touch and goes to show what a great man Rio is," he told a press conference ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales in Cardiff this weekend.

"We had a 10-minute conversation and he wished me well. He He cares about England and said the most important thing was to keep winning.

"He was naturally disappointed, but said the most important thing was to keep winning."

He added: "I feel for Rio. Even though I've got the armband back, I can see myself we've got leaders in dressing room.

"The guys have still got a massive input in and around the dressing room."

Terry insisted he was ready to deal with the pressure that would come with his re-appointment, and claimed his passion for playing for his country never left him even when he lost the armband.

"On a personal not I'm very delighted to get the armband back," he added.

"People can see that in me, people can see even when I did not have the armband my passion and drive was still there."

Asked of he was ready for the pressure, he added: "Naturally, I'd expect nothing less.

"I know what is asked of me on the pitch and away from it.

"Maybe the manager looked into that as well, that I had kept my head down and concentrated on playing well for club and country.

"I'm certainly older (now), but wise as well. I'm fully fit as well so I'm very much looking forward to continuing staying fit and playing well."

On having the armband taken away from him, Terry continued: "I met Fabio and (England general manager) Franco (Baldini) on the day and accepted the decision. That doesn't mean I agreed with it but I looked them both in the eye and said 'you'll get nothing less from me in training and on the field'.

"I was disappointed at the time but for me the most important thing was to concentrate on playing football.

"That was the relief for me, to work hard in training every day. I've worked very hard to get where I am today.

"I was disappointed initially but you have to move on. It (the disappointment) will be there for a long time but this shows if you keep working hard and never give up hope there's always a chance."

On Saturday's opponents, the 30-year-old continued: "I think we can expect a very tough game and we must make sure we match them in every department.

"Our players have played at the Millennium Stadium, which will naturally help - but they have a great spine in the side with James Collins, Gareth Bale and Craig Bellamy. They can pose a real threat.

"For me the most important thing is to top the group and make sure we are there (at Euro 2012). I would love to lead the team into that tournament."

Just over a year ago Bellamy was a team-mate of Bridge when Manchester City won at Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League - and the striker was none too complimentary about Terry in a post-match interview.

However, Terry said today: "He is a player I have a lot of respect for in the game - maybe sometimes he's been misrepresented in certain ways...he wants to win, be it at Manchester City or Cardiff.

"But we must win. Wales have had a bad start, conceding a lot of goals and not scoring too many - but they pose a real threat individually. They've got a good young squad."

 Source : The Independent 22 March 2011

TOUCHLINES

MANCHESTER UNITED are set to beat rivals Asenal to the signature or talented Southampton youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is being lined up for a £10m (RM50m) move to Old Trafford.

LIVERPOOL manager Kenny Dalglish is ready to outbid Tottenham for Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam this summer.

TOTTENHAM are hoping to lure Liverpool rightback Glen Johnson to White Hart Lane at the end of the season, with Spurs boss Harry Radknapp willing to spend £12m (RM60m) on the England international.

EVERTON midfielder jack Rodwell and Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero have been linked with Chelsea as Blues owner Roman Abramovich plans another summer spending spree, despite having spent a combined £73m (RM365m) on Fernando Torres and David Luiz in January.

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson has not been put  off by the £25m (RM125m) price tag  Bolton have placed on their centerback Gary Cahill because the Scot wants to increase his defensive options.

CHELSEA defender John Terry says he is “honoured and proud” to reclaim the England captaincy, adding: “Anyone who ever asks me about  Fabio Capello, I ca only say good words about him and that’s the truth, regardless of what people might hear,”

CHELSEA have confirmed they are “looking into” allegations that Manchester City players and referee Chirs Foy were targeted by a fan with a laser pen during yesteday’s Premier league meeting between the two sides at Stamford Bridge, which Chelsea won 2-0.

IN the wake of Manuel Almunia’s weekend calamity – when he gifted West Brom a goal by rushing out of his area – Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has said goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is a long way off being ready to play in the Premier League.

LIVERPOOL  defender Jamie Carragher concedes Liverpool did not deserve their penalty at the Stadium of Light, which gave the Reds an early lead ea route to a 2-0 victory.

REAL MADRID coach Jose Mourinho admits his side are suffering from fatigue as they challenge on three fronts  after his stars laboured to a fortunate 2-1 win over derby rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Source : THE SUN 22 MARCH 2011

TOUCHLINES

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson has renewed his interest in Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa, a player he originally tried to sign 18 month ago.

BARCELONA right-back Dani Alves has been offered to Manchester City after failing to agree a new contract with the Spanish giants.

LIVERPOOL’S Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina has dropped his biggest hint yet he will quit Anfield this summer.

THE Anfield club will make an audacious £10m (RM50m) bid to sign leftback Leighton Baines from city rival Everton.

ARSENAL are considering letting captain Cesc Fabregas rejoin Barcelona this summer, but the Gunners would want around £45m for the World Cup-winning midfielder.

ASTON VILLA’S Ashley Young could be on his way to Liverpool with Kenny Dalglish keen to sign wide players to make the most striker Andy Carroll – Matt Jarvis of Wolves is also on the wanted list.

REAL MADRID coach Jose Mourinho is wanted by Manchester City and is the club’s No 1 target to replace Roberto  Mancini, although the former Chelsea boss still want to manage Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson’s eventual departure.

MANCINI fears that the on and off-field behaviour of striker Mario Bolatelli could get him sack.

MANCHESTER UNITED striker Dimitiar Berbatov is desperate to sign a new contract to keep him at Old Trafford for the rest of his career. Talk between the 30-year-old striker’s agent and United have hit problems over the length of the deal, with the club offering only the two years  extension on a deal that expires in 2012.

NEWCASTLE boss Alan Pardew has promised an investigation after nightclub photos or three player – striker Leon Best on-loan midfielder Stephen Ireland and reserve team player Stephan Folan – were posted on the Internet.

TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp says he want Spurs to win the league next season, but his concern this year is top four finish.

SUNDERLAND owner Ellis Short will reaffirm his commitment to the club in an address to the Black Cats supporters today.

Source : THE SUN 21 MARCH 2011

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