WORLD CUP 2002/England Squad: Apparently Sven-Goran Eriksson believes England's most reliable route to success in the World Cup lies along the central line. No fewer than five centre backs have been included in the squad he will take to Japan.
Admittedly one of these, Manchester United's Wes Brown, is in as an option at right back after the loss of Gary Neville with a broken metatarsal bone. Even so Eriksson is clearly putting considerable faith in the wooden walls of old England.
The inclusion of the 35-year-old Martin Keown, a well weathered piece of oak from the middle of Arsenal's back four, is the one mild surprise in the party of 23 Eriksson announced yesterday. Keown joins Sol Campbell, Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Southgate in a centre-back pool from which England will hope to draw defensive strength to blunt the attacks of Sweden, Argentina and Nigeria in their first-round group.
But for breaking a leg at Blackburn in January, an injury which put him out of action for six weeks, Keown might have been closer to selection rather earlier. As it is he has played himself into the squad on the strength of some outstanding games during Arsenal's final push for the Premiership and FA Cup double.
"I don't remember when I first saw Keown play," Eriksson said yesterday. "Perhaps I was managing Benfica. But I do remember that he was always standing there, always chasing centre forwards, always doing his job. You look at the Keown of 10 years ago and the Keown who played yesterday and you don't see a lot of difference."
Keown will appear in England's opening match against Sweden in Saitama only if Eriksson alters his partnership of Ferdinand and Campbell, which looked vulnerable in Germany before England won 5-1 and against Albania at St James' Park four days later.
Tournament experience is what is lacking in this mainly youthful squad, 12 of whom are aged 24 or under. Eriksson wants such senior players as Keown, David Seaman, Teddy Sheringham and Southgate to be father figures. Not that Eriksson has gone for youth for its own sake. "I haven't picked people because they are young," he insisted. "They are there because they are good enough to be there."
David Beckham's participation in the finals depends on his metatarsal mending in time. Liverpool's Danny Murphy is on standby in case the England captain or Nicky Butt, nursing damaged knee ligaments, does not make it. Murphy will not travel to Dubai on Monday for their pre-tournament break but will stay in training. "His choice, my choice," said Eriksson.
Murphy would probably be in the squad but for Eriksson's decision to take Keown, a choice dictated by the coach's desire to have a cover for every position. Yet this has left the midfield relying heavily on Beckham and Butt getting fit and Steven Gerrard and Kieron Dyer staying fit.
The longer England stay in the tournament the more valuable the versatility of Owen Hargreaves, with his ability to play in defence or midfield, and Joe Cole, a natural rover, may become. Hargreaves is a possibility for the vacant right-back position although Brown and Danny Mills are also strong contenders.
The strikers virtually picked themselves and Eriksson was never likely to pick more than five, which ruled out Blackburn's Matt Jansen. Michael Owen and Emile Heskey are first choices with Sheringham to come off the bench.
This England squad will arouse the curiosity of the rest of the World Cup without sending shivers down spines. It reflects the genuine promise of the coming generation of English footballers but also the limitations of choice imposed by the proliferation of foreign imports.
The international career of Steve McManaman is almost certainly over. That of Darren Anderton too, and when Andy Cole greeted the squad's release by announcing his retirement from international football it meant only he was the last to know his time with England had long been up.
Joe Cole is Eriksson's wild card, Sheringham a trump if played at the right moment. Little Joe and Father Ted, together they may yet throw all those centre backs into a more positive light.
