Newcaslte duo Michael Owen and Alan Smith, ironically both injury plagued strikers, will be set to start against Germany tonight because of the huge injury list presented to Steve McClaren the BBC reports.
Macca said:
“He hasn’t played a full game this season so it’s a chance to give him minutes.”
If there is a better way to sum up the importance of these international friendly’s, we don’t know it.
Liverpool’s Peter Crouch is also in this squad but as he is suspended for September’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel. Englands favourite jet-setting soccerball plater David Beckham will play some part, no doubt with a limp. Manchester City’s Micah Richards is the favourite to join Chelsea’s John Terry at the heart of the defence, especially after his excellent performance against United.
Macca, clearly trying to get the nation pumped up for what is essentially a glorified training session, said :
“You need team cohesion to play and that’s one of the things that sometimes you can’t get without playing games. So this game is a big game. We’ve got Israel in three weeks and the way injuries are going this might be the team that is playing against Israel.”
Those that aren’t frothing at the mouth with excitement will have to dine on the small crumbs of fun; speculating on how long Beckham will last before he falls asleep, and looking for a truly unwelcome guest (at least for the Spurs management), Jurgen Klinsmann.