Davies & Cahill in the England Squad

[thebish]

Martin Samuel hates Bolton. Martin Samuel hates Bolton because of how we sent his team down. I know this because one of my best mates works at the Daily Mail (and he isn't a Nazi, over-reactionary, middle aged woman). And he knows this because he keeps talking to Martin Samuel and hearing him slag Bolton off at every opportunity, and that is always highlighted whenever he mentions us in his piffle.

I'm not going to read the piffle he's written today, because it's not worth the time or effort.

and we didn't even "send them down" anyway - we beat them - it wasn't the last game of the season - it did us some good - but it wasn't the last nail in their coffin - that came later, and not directly at our hands...

[bobo the clown]

You knew it was coming...........

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/articl ... game-.html

What can you expect from the worst football journalist around? I bet people cry simply when Samuel walks into the room.

Perhaps the passing of the idea that international football is about something more. That, whatever the limitations of our domestic game, at international level we step forward from the sheer physicality of our league and aspire to a more sophisticated style. Perhaps what disappoints the most is a rejection of the need for change.

... and maybe, just maybe, the reason we always fail at international level is that we try to play to other people's strengths and not our own. So, we put away the very things which get us somewhere and try, too late, to adopt skills which did not.

Is it a co-incidence that English teams, largely with players from the British Isles, playing the 'British Way' won the European Cup year after year in the 1970's & 1980's ?

[ratbert]

A suggestion whilst it's quiet:

An Open Letter to Martin Samuel for our front page. The link for which we will then e-mail to the human/gorilla missing link.

Takers?

[as]

Martin Samuel wrote an article slating us back when Jay-Jay scored THAT screamer against West Ham.

He's been bitter about us ever since.

I'm not to bothered, considering he looks like a fat tramp in need of a good wash.

[seanworth]

I hope he continues his bitter ways, it only be a bad sign for West Ham.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Now Bent's out injured too !

[Hoboh]

Anyone got an email address for said Samuel?

Just like to point out to the knob he should not "select statistics" that suit his agenda of Davies bashing but be truthful, print them all, then he can have his "opinion".
He is a whore to the myth of the "beautiful" game, so rare the albertross is seen more often in Queens park. (Btw ain't he one fat unkempt bounder, his mother must be proud!)

[seanworth]

I might have to stay up to watch this game the way other players are dropping like flies.

[Lord Kangana]

Now Bent's out injured too !

I'm not even going to say what I'm thinking. But you know.....

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Is Kev nobbling them all in training or something??

[seanworth]

Is Kev nobbling them all in training or something??

[Hoboh]

Fat Samuel should be carefull what he wishes for!!!!!!!

Davo will play a part now methinks!!

When's Sir Nuts ban up?

[BWFC_Wyles]

Capello has said, "I think we will play Crouch", but apparently Davo virtually guaranteed a cap! What a proud moment tomorrow night will be. Would be amazeballs if Cahill & Davo were brought on at the same time!

[Hoboh]

Breaking News;

Crouch has just hit his head on a 747 on decent to Heathrow, goody goody

[ohjimmyjimmy]

I bet if they started him, he'd belt out that anthem with his chest puffed out (even further than normal) !

[Lofthouse Lower]

I bet if they started him, he'd belt out that anthem with his chest puffed out (even further than normal) !

I'm so very proud of Kevin, just a shame that his night will be sullied by playing with the likes of Ashley Cole, Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney. It should be a special night, and to be surrounded by the dregs of humanity (including southerners in the stands) will surely take the shine off.

[Lord Kangana]

Wonder if a good old British Patriot (gawd bless him he loves his mum) like Martin Samuel will be cheering Kev on at Wembley. Or is he such a sour-faced c*nt that he'll look for any excuse to write a scathing article?

Actually, can he write, or does he dictate to someone further up the Primate ladder?

[malcd1]

To counteract the Martin Samuel tripe, here is one quoting Jamie Rednapp.

http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/44 ... ainst.aspx

Jamie Redknapp believes Bolton Wanderers striker Kevin Davies totally merits his international call-up and has implored the Reebok Stadium talisman to stay unchanged from the uncompromising Premier League star he has become.

The former England international suggests Davies is one of the toughest players to play against in England, and therefore he needs to be the same player on the international stage when given the opportunity.

Davies is the second oldest player to be picked for England for almost 40-years at 33, and Redknapp suggests it is just reward for a striker that has tormented centre-halves for the best part of a decade.

The former Liverpool captain told Skysports.com: “I am delighted Kevin Davies has been called into the England squad. Whether or not he starts is a different matter, but it's great for him.

“You ask any defender in the Premier League and they will tell you there is no tougher centre-forward to play against. He is just awkward, full-stop. He never lets defenders settle, he is good in the air, he holds the ball up well and above all, he brings the best out of other players.

“That might not sound like what you need from an international striker, but believe me, there is a place for him in this England set-up beyond this. What Davies does is provide another option should Fabio Capello need it.

“He might not even figure against Montenegro, but it will do him the world of good just being involved with England and I am sure, will give him the chance to improve his game even further.

“The one thing I would hate to see is him changing his style because it is not perceived to be the 'international way'.

“Kevin Davies has to stay the same; it's what makes him such a threat and what has got him into the England squad, so why try anything different.”

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

Wonder if a good old British Patriot (gawd bless him he loves his mum) like Martin Samuel will be cheering Kev on at Wembley. Or is he such a sour-faced c*nt that he'll look for any excuse to write a scathing article?

Actually, can he write, or does he dictate to someone further up the Primate ladder?

He does, but it's not an easy job. I suppose it's difficult to translate "EURGH! OOGA-BOOGA-BLAMMY EURGH - BUBBLES! INGERLAND! BLOEURGH HALLABULLYGRUBBLEY BOLTON SCUM!"

And your first question? The latter. Most definitely the latter. He has no interest in the game whatsoever - just the chance to be able to go back and say "I told you so". Wasn't it him that Graham Taylor battered during one press conference?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Last time two Bolton players were in an England squad?

Nat and Eddie Hopkinson I would guess.

Seems to be a bad guess.

Looks like they never played on the same team, so I will go with Hopkinson and Tommy Banks in the 1958 WC finals, when Nat was stupidly left at home.

Oh come now Monty, Nat was nearly 33. What use would England have of a selfless, heroic 33-year-old Bolton forward?

Capello says Crouch gets the nod, which is as you might expect. There's a case for starting with SKD, who's arguably a better link player than Crouch and will thus bring England's most effective players into the game, but you can see the thinking. Let's just hope Davies (and to a lesser extent Cahill, whose best days are yet ahead of him) gets on as a sub; England being a couple of goals to the good might help.

Oh and as for Martin Samuel: he's a very good writer, in that he can write in different styles for different newspapers, effortlessly producing very different pieces simultaneously for The Times and the News of the World before moving to his spiritual home: the reactionary middle-England lobotomised hell that is the Mail. He fits perfectly there, because just like him, his audience has arse-gravy for opinions.