*eyeroll*
NEWSFLASH: Apparently, Steven Gerrard would like to be the next England captain. But he's not talking about it.
Okay, first of all, DUH. How is this news? Just about everyone who pulls on an England shirt and isn't total pants would dream of wearing the armband.
And second of all, NO. Let's just not go there.
I've never had a lot of respect for Beckham, but he earned a little bit by giving up the captaincy. He's been caught in a situation not entirely of his own making and I'm glad he decided to end it on his own terms. I was living in fear of McLaren not having the balls to give the armband to someone else.
No prizes for guessing who I think that someone should be, of course. Yeah, a lot of people are talking about Gerrard (including the player himself), and I would be very angry but not surprised if McLaren goes that route. Personal bias aside, though, I honestly believe JT is the best choice. Gerrard is a good captain at club level, yet he has never managed to produce the same inspirational form for his country and I think he might struggle with the additional pressure. Let's not forget that he blamed his disastrous Euro 2004 performance on the distraction of the transfer rumours. Surely the England captain would need to demonstrate better focus than that.
And let's be honest--the poor lad is thick as a post. Not that JT is a rocket scientist, but I like to think that if a woman fainted literally at his feet John would have the sense and common decency to at least try to help in some way, rather than stand staring with default expression of wrinkled brow and fingers in arse. Hardly a great example of captainly, take-charge behavior or good decision making, eh, Stevie?
Anyway, here's hoping the Ginger Whinger gets one thing right to start his reign. I'm not holding out much hope for the rest of it.
Okay, first of all, DUH. How is this news? Just about everyone who pulls on an England shirt and isn't total pants would dream of wearing the armband.
And second of all, NO. Let's just not go there.
I've never had a lot of respect for Beckham, but he earned a little bit by giving up the captaincy. He's been caught in a situation not entirely of his own making and I'm glad he decided to end it on his own terms. I was living in fear of McLaren not having the balls to give the armband to someone else.
No prizes for guessing who I think that someone should be, of course. Yeah, a lot of people are talking about Gerrard (including the player himself), and I would be very angry but not surprised if McLaren goes that route. Personal bias aside, though, I honestly believe JT is the best choice. Gerrard is a good captain at club level, yet he has never managed to produce the same inspirational form for his country and I think he might struggle with the additional pressure. Let's not forget that he blamed his disastrous Euro 2004 performance on the distraction of the transfer rumours. Surely the England captain would need to demonstrate better focus than that.
And let's be honest--the poor lad is thick as a post. Not that JT is a rocket scientist, but I like to think that if a woman fainted literally at his feet John would have the sense and common decency to at least try to help in some way, rather than stand staring with default expression of wrinkled brow and fingers in arse. Hardly a great example of captainly, take-charge behavior or good decision making, eh, Stevie?
Anyway, here's hoping the Ginger Whinger gets one thing right to start his reign. I'm not holding out much hope for the rest of it.