World Cup football 2006 home page
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Cup football 2002 home page
PREDICTED ENGLAND SQUAD
____________________________________________________________________________
*** click here to see the England squad that
was selected on 8 May 2006 ***
The following squad was predicted the weekend before the squad was
announced - the prediction below was inaccurate as follows - Ledley King was
not included in the squad due to his foot injury, Shaun Wright-Phillips was
dropped due to not playing enough games for Chelsea this season and indifferent
form when he did play - these places were taken by wingers Stewart Downing and
Aaron Lennon. In a shock decision, Eriksson also chose the 17 year old Theo
Walcott in attack over the more experienced Jermain Defoe (who is on standby).
The England manager, Sven-Goran
Eriksson, will name a 23 man squad to take to the World Cup 2006. FIFA has
announced that no players will be able to play for their clubs after 15 May
2006 (apart from those in the European Champions League final on 17 May 2006)
to avoid players being tired in the World Cup itself. The deadline
for the managers to pick their World Cup squads is 15 May 2006 but Eriksson
will name a squad of 26 or 27 players on 8 May 2006 including an extra three or
four reserve players.
The probable players to go to the World Cup 2006 are:
GOALKEEPERS (3)
Paul Robinson (Tottenham)
David James (Man City)
Robert Green* (Norwich - if fit) OR
Scott Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Sheffield Wednesday)
Maybe just missing out - Richard Wright (Everton)
CENTRAL DEFENDERS (4)
John Terry* (Chelsea)
Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd)
Sol Campbell* (Arsenal)
Ledley King* (Tottenham - if fit - also can play as a defensive midfielder)
Maybe just missing out - Wes Brown (Man Utd), Gareth Southgate
(Middlesbrough), Zat Knight (Fulham)
[Jamie Carragher named below]
RIGHT/LEFT BACK (4)
Gary Neville (Man Utd)
Ashley Cole* (Arsenal)
Wayne Bridge* (Chelsea, on loan at Fulham)
Jamie Carragher (Liverpool, also can play central defence)
Maybe just missing out on a place: Luke Young* (Charlton), Paul Konchesky (West
Ham), Glen Johnson (Chelsea), Stephen Warnock (Liverpool)
MIDFIELD (8)
David Beckham (Real Madrid)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Joe Cole (Chelsea)
Michael Carrick (Tottenham)
Jermaine Jenas* (Tottenham)
Owen Hargreaves* (Bayern Munich)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea)
Maybe just missing out on a place - Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Kieron Richardson (Man Utd),
Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Phil Neville (Everton), Danny
Murphy (Tottenham)
ATTACK (4)
Michael Owen* (Newcastle)
Wayne Rooney* (Man Utd)
Peter Crouch (Liverpool)
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)
Maybe just missing out on a place - Darren Bent (Charlton), Darius Vassell
(Man City), Emile Heskey (Birmingham), Robbie Fowler (Liverpool), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle), James Beattie (Everton),
Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace)
* player has been injured recently - click here for the latest England team
injury news. Note that Wayne Rooney has broken a bone in his foot and may
well be unavailable for England's World Cup group games.
Players in bold are possible reserve players to be named with the squad
on 8 May 2006.
It is possible Jamie Carragher will be named as a central
defender leaving another place at right/left back or midfield. Sven-Goran
Eriksson may also take five strikers as the injured Wayne Rooney is
expected to be selected and will not be fit at the start of the tournament.
On 2 May 2006 FIFA have said that England can wait until 9 June 2006 to
replace Wayne Rooney. This is the day the tournament begins and the day before
England's first game against Paraguay.
Several players from the World Cup 2002 squad are
expected to be called up again this time.
| 2002 final squad |
Position |
Age 2006 |
Comment |
| David Seaman |
Goalkeeper |
42 |
retired in Jan
2004, last played for England in October 2002 |
| Nigel Martyn |
Goalkeeper |
39 |
Still playing for
Everton, last played for England in May 2002 |
| David James* |
Goalkeeper |
35 |
England's number
1 goalkeeper for Euro 2004, now the no 2 |
| Rio Ferdinand |
Central defence |
27 |
At Man Utd and
still first choice with John Terry for England |
| Sol Campbell* |
Central defence |
31 |
Just back from injury
but likely to go to World Cup 2006 |
| Gareth Southgate |
Central defence |
36 |
Still playing for
Middlesbrough, last played for England in March 2004 |
| Martin Keown |
Central defence |
39 |
Left Arsenal in
2004, now doing some coaching work there |
| Wes Brown |
Right Back |
26 |
Back from injury
for Man Utd and in March 2006 England squad |
| Danny Mills |
Right Back |
28 |
Last played for
England in Feb 2004 but playing at Man City |
| Ashley Cole* |
Left Back |
25 |
Just returned from injury
but still
England's first choice |
| Wayne Bridge* |
Left Back |
25 |
Playing on loan
at Fulham and in the March 2006 England squad |
| David Beckham* |
Midfield |
31 |
Playing at Real
Madrid now and still England's captain |
| Trevor Sinclair |
Midfield |
33 |
Still playing at
Man City, last played for England in August 2003 |
| Paul Scholes* |
Midfield |
31 |
Retired from
international duty in 2004 - recovering from eye injury |
| Kieron Dyer* |
Midfield |
27 |
Not played for
England since Mar 2005 and has
hamstring injury |
| Owen Hargreaves* |
Midfield |
25 |
Played for
England in Nov 2005 and playing at Bayern Munich now |
| Nicky Butt* |
Midfield |
31 |
Playing at
Birmingham but last played for England in Nov 2004 |
| Joe Cole* |
Midfield |
24 |
Much improved
since 2002 and first choice for Chelsea and England |
| Michael Owen* |
Attack |
26 |
Returning from injury and still England's
first choice striker |
| Emile Heskey* |
Attack |
28 |
Playing at
Birmingham but last played for England in Jun
2004 |
| Robbie Fowler |
Attack |
31 |
Now back at
Liverpool but last played for England in Jun 2002 |
| Teddy Sheringham |
Attack |
40 |
Not played for
England since last World Cup, still playing at
West Ham |
| Darius Vassell* |
Attack |
25 |
Playing at Man City - last played for England in
Jun 2004 |
| |
|
|
|
| * at
Euro 2004 |
|
|
First choices
Steven Gerrard and
Gary Neville were injured in 2002 |
A few of the original European Under 21 championship squad
of 2002 could now be included in the World Cup 2006 squad. They are:
Goalkeeper
Paul Robinson (Tottenham) - now first choice for England
Defenders
Luke Young (Charlton) - played at right back for England when Gary Neville was
injured
Ledley King (Tottenham) - played in Euro 2004 and likely to go to the World Cup
if fit
Paul Konchesky (Charlton) - has played at left back for England but there is
competition for this place
Zat Knight (Fulham) - played in the USA tournament in 2005 but unlikely to go
to the World Cup
Midfield:
Michael Carrick (Tottenham) - defensive midfielder and likely to be included in
the squad
Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham) - was in the March 2006 squad and could get a place
in the squad
Scott Parker (Newcastle) - not played since March 2004 for England (and is out
of contention now with suspected glandular fever)
Attack:
Peter Crouch
(Liverpool) - scored against Uruguay in March 2006 and likely to go to
Germany
Jermaine Defoe (Tottenham) - the reserve squad member at Euro 2004 - may make
the full squad
Alan Smith (Man Utd) - changed to central midfield now but recently broke leg
(long term injury)
Injured:
Chris Kirkland (goalkeeper) and Shaun Wright Phillips (right winger) were
injured for this tournament in 2002. Chris Kirkland will also miss the World
Cup 2006 with a broken finger but Shaun Wright Phillips is expected to get a
place in the squad.
England did not qualify for the
European Under 21 championship finals in 2006. Click
here for more information on the European Under 21 championships in 2006.
Click here to see who is the
next England manager.
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