It sometimes gets a bit tiring listening to former England players passing judgement on the current national team set-up. Especially when these individuals have pretty much failed as football managers themselves, and don’t seem to appreciate that the best team is not always about the best eleven individual players available.
John Barnes has shot wide of the mark with his latest comments, where he states that Gareth Barry is not really up to scratch when it comes to playing on a world stage for England. Despite the Aston Villa midfielder shining more than Frank Lampard in a white shirt over the past couple of years, the former Liverpool winger claims that Lamps and Gerrard are the way forward for the national team. The Express and Star report Barnes’ reservations.
He said: “Lampard and Barry played well against Croatia and maybe Gareth will start, but, as for long term, other players are big game players. If you are playing Brazil in the semi-finals of the World Cup would you play Barry?
“He doesn’t have to shine, he is good enough to compete and be effective, but I don’t think he is as good as Gerrard or Lampard in terms of what you want from a midfield player.
“He is good enough to be in the team at the moment and good enough to be in the squad but long term I’m not sure.”
Hmmm, we’re not sure whether Fabio Capello will be swayed by people like Barnes, who seem to think that playing for the England team gives them a divine right to pass judgement on who the current manager should pick. Let’s not forget that the ex-Watford winger had an awful time in charge of Celtic, and that the national team have recently won 4-1 in Croatia.
Does anyone agree with him that Gareth Barry should be out of the team, and that the incompatible duo of Gerrard and Lampard should be in?
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