Glenn Hoddle will today announce his England squad for the World Cup qualifier against Moldova at Wembley on Wednesday week knowing that Ian Wright, his most likely alternative to the injured Alan Shearer, could be facing a long ban from football after being charged with misconduct by the English Football Association yesterday.
The Arsenal striker is one of three players in trouble with the FA, along with Pat Rice, Arsene Wenger's assistant at Highbury, following the pandemonium at the end of Wednesday's Premiership game at Filbert Street, when Leicester City came from behind to force a 3-3 draw during the six minutes of stoppage time allowed by referee Graham Barber. Wright, Patrick Vieira and the Leicester captain, Steve Walsh, were among the throng surrounding Barber as the teams left the field. The referee reported the trio to Lancaster Gate for behaving aggressively towards each other. Last season Arsenal, with 81 bookings and five dismissals, had the worst disciplinary record in the Premiership. Television pictures clearly showed Wright making for Walsh when, having been substituted, he should not have been on the pitch at all. The fact that the Arsenal player is again in trouble so soon after being told by the FA that further offences would bring a long suspension should be a signal to Hoddle not to take the player's apparent reformation for granted.
This summer Wright was fined £15,000 (barely a week's wages) by the FA on two misconduct charges concerning incidents against Coventry and Blackburn at the end of last season. Another ban had been expected but the FA noted that the player had undergone rage counselling and seemed to be making a genuine effort to curb his temper.
Soon after the hearing Wright, posing as an Edwardian footballer with centre-parting and moustaches, featured in an FA advertisement: "Suddenly, I'm proud to be part of the Football Association". Now it is up to an embarrassed FA, as well as the England coach, to decide whether it still wants to be a part of Ian Wright.
The 33-year-old Wright's England future must again be in doubt, whether or not Hoddle includes him today. Les Ferdinand, who has begun to score freely for Tottenham whereas his Arsenal rival has stalled after moving to within one goal of Cliff Bastin's all-time Highbury record score of 178, should also be in the squad and by the time England meet Italy in Rome on October 11th may have re-established himself up front as Teddy Sheringham's partner.
Tomorrow's North London derby will find Wright and Ferdinand on opposite sides. The match will also reflect Hoddle's limited choice in defence. Tony Adams and Martin Keown are still among Arsenal's casualties while Tottenham's Sol Campbell, outstanding for England in the Tournoi de France, is struggling with a knee problem. In addition, the strained hamstring which forced Stuart Pearce out of Newcastle United's Champions League qualifier in Zagreb after half-an-hour could further reduce Hoddle's cover against Moldova.
The imminent loss of so many central defenders may see Rio Ferdinand, West Ham's outstanding 19-year-old sweeper, promoted to the senior squad. Ferdinand, cousin of Les, has begun the season in excellent form, and if he is to make England's World Cup squad in France next summer he should be settled in now.
With Paul Scholes making an immediate impact in France this summer it will be interesting to see if Hoddle recalls Steve McManaman, having told the Liverpool player that both he and Robbie Fowler risked missing the World Cup after abruptly withdrawing from the summer programme with fitness problems.
Liverpool's Paul Ince misses the Moldova game with a one-match ban after getting a second yellow card in Poland at the end of May. Hoddle could have hoped for stronger options as he resumes the task of qualifying.
Guardian Service
