Carragher doesn't care, so why should we?

Written by Kris Mole Thursday, 20 May 2010 00:35

England World Cup Blog

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has revealed that his spell out of international retirement will only last the duration of the World Cup and that he is only going to the competition because his country needs him.

 

Carragher turned his back on his country three years ago as he sulked due to not being good enough to be an England regular, believing he was too good to be a substitute for the national team, but then agreed recently to be called up to the squad for this summer as Fabio Capello looked for cover at the back.

 

 

The once-upon-a-time decent defender is surely set to be in the same boat this summer, though, as he sits behind Ferdinand and Terry in the pecking order, and with a bit of sense on Capello's part, also behind Ledley King.

 

Carragher explained his motives for coming back yesterday, "This is the chance to play at the highest level again plus, equally important, to work with this manager. Over the past 10 years Mr Capello has been the stand-out manager in world football."

 

And yet, he still says he'll quit again directly after the competition is over.

Surely, then, he must have something a lot more important than the national team to take up his time.... Right?

 

"My testimonial is on September 4 so, hopefully, if I go to South Africa it's a one-off and the injury situation will have been cleared up for next season."

Ah, OK. Now I understand. A testimonial.
 

Carragher revealed how he consulted team-mate Steven Gerrard when told by his agent Struan Marshall that Capello's assistant Franco Baldini had been on the phone.

 

"To know that someone still thinks you're good enough to play at that level is a bit of a boost. But I only spoke to Stevie because I was told it had to be kept quiet.

"Stevie was desperate for me to be involved. We're best mates. He would rather have me there than not, for his own sake, really," said Carragher.

 

He continued, "I talked to Stevie and my wife at first and then, a few days later, to my dad and my son and everybody was very pleased and desperate for me to go."

 

Carragher revealed a lot about to himself to a lot of people, myself included, in his autobiography when he said that England was never going to be as important to him as Liverpool. He also told how his missed penalty in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final shootout against Portugal did not matter in the same way it would had he missed for his club.

 

So, why, I ask, does Capello want this kind of don't-give-a-monkey's attitude around the squad at such a major tournament? You'd never hear words like that spoken by Michael Dawson, for instance.

 

Speaking of the World Cup, Carragher told how he's had to change his plans, saying, "We were supposed to be going to Disneyland on Monday - so that's off!"

 

As far as I'm concerned, Carragher should be allowed nowhere near an England dressing room. He's had an awful season for Liverpool, realises he's now playing for a club not guaranteed Champions League football, and somehow he's been given the opportunity for one last hurrah at a big competition. He doesn't care about the national team, he's said it in his own words, and the other players in the squad will also be well aware of Carragher's feelings on things.

 

Is he undeserving? Has Dawson not done much more this season to warrant a seat on the plane?

 

Remember that these views are only those of me, the writer, and not of A2BWorldCup or the country in general :)

 

Your thoughts are welcomed.....

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