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WHY REDS SHOULD SAVOUR ENGLAND VISIT
Radio Merseyside football commentator Mike Hughes looks ahead to Wednesday's international match at Anfield and explains why it's an occasion that should be savoured.
While Liverpudlian interest towards England's friendly international with Uruguay on Wednesday will probably not register high on the Richter scale of excitement, there are enough valid reasons why Reds fans should show more than a passing interest in the midweek events at Anfield.
Compared to the high-profile matches this club has experienced in recent weeks, it's understandable that this latest World Cup warm-up fixture will be viewed as nothing more than a chance to recharge the batteries, spend some rare time at home and prepare for the next hectic round of Premiership, FA Cup and Champions League matches.
I must admit to being a big England fan and I'd like nothing better than to see everyone getting behind the team whenever an international game is played. But as a born and bred resident of these parts, I am also well aware of the apathy that exists towards the national team on Merseyside. It all boils down to the old club versus country debate.
There's no getting away from the fact that in this part of England, club will nearly always come before country. This has long been the case but even more so in recent years and because of this I do worry about the international game as a whole.
Then there's the inter-club rivalry. Liverpool fans, obviously won't be rushing to shower the likes of Wayne Rooney or Gary Neville with their undying support, but as Englishmen (or women), regardless of what club you support, such rivalry, if only for 90 minutes, should go out of the window.
Hughes on club v country
I must admit to being a big England fan and I'd like nothing better than to see everyone getting behind the team whenever an international game is played. But as a born and bred resident of these parts I am also well aware of the apathy that exists towards the national team on Merseyside. It all boils down to the old club versus country debate.
Of course, there'll be three players who won't be short of support on Wednesday – Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Peter Crouch – although I suspect most Liverpudlians will just be hoping they come through the game unscathed.
It's vital for Liverpool and England that Gerrard doesn't play the full 90 minutes. Rafa Benitez has urged Sven to use his influential skipper only sparingly and I think that will prove to be the case. If he starts the game then I'd fully expect him to come off at half-time or vice-versa. Eriksson knows how important Gerrard is to Liverpool. More importantly from Sven's prospective, he also knows how important he is to England.
Given the long season that Liverpool have had already and the big part Gerrard has played in it, there has got to be an acceptance he would gain very little from playing 90 minutes. Sven knows everything that Steven Gerrard can do and more but I think you can understand him wanting to play some part.
Like Gerrard, Jamie Carragher has also already played a lot of football this season, but while Stevie's place in the England starting eleven for the World Cup is assured, Jamie's situation is not so clear-cut.
I'm not too sure Carragher will make the starting eleven given Sven's previous selection policy but I do think he's a stone cold certainty to be in the squad for Germany.
For me, he is, without a doubt, one of the best central defenders in the country and there is certainly a growing school of thought that maybe a John Terry/Jamie Carragher partnership would be the way forward for England given the problems that Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell have had. Carra is quite simply an absolutely fantastic defender and one of the best I can ever remember seeing in this country at any time. He makes very few errors and he's a wonderful leader.
Unfortunately, I think he's suffered at international level by the amount of games that he's played out of position. Also, he was in the England team that lost to Northern Ireland and Denmark. Neither defeat was down to him but you wonder whether his chances of becoming a first choice have been slightly blemished because of this.
It certainly shouldn't be the case because if you are looking at form, week-in week-out, this season, last season and the season before, then there isn't a better central defender in the country than Jamie Carragher. I think he and John Terry are absolutely neck and neck and if you look at the colossus that John Terry has become, I think that's a tribute to Jamie.
The third Liverpool player in the England squad for Wednesday is Peter Crouch and, like the aforementioned two, he is another absolute certainty for the World Cup because he offers something completely different.
At present, if everyone is fit, I don't think he would be first choice in attack but he is an absolutely ideal substitute for internationals. If you are losing the game or drawing and need the win, then you can bring Crouch on for the final half an hour. He can hold the ball up, he can bring people into play and he can score goals.
Hughes on Anfield's honour
Liverpool have staged England matches before and the attendances has always been good but once the new Wembley Stadium is eventually open an occasion like this probably won't come around again. For this reason, it's one that should be savoured. For Liverpool Football Club, staging an England international match is, I believe, a huge honour, which every fan of the Reds should take great pride in.
He hasn't been anywhere near as prolific as he would have liked to have been at Liverpool, but I thought that his performance against Manchester City was absolutely top drawer, apart from getting the goal his play merited. He had that wonderful back heel that was an inch wide and then the shot on the turn that hit the cross bar. He did everything but score.
Peter Crouch had definitely been accepted by the Liverpool supporters. They realise he's a decent player and if he can do that for Liverpool, there's no reason why he can't do it for England. He's a player with a great touch and I'm sure Sven, like Rafa, recognises that he has all the qualities to do it at the very highest level.
Hopefully all three Liverpool players will enjoy a successful, injury-free night on Wednesday and I hope the local fans also take the opportunity to see what could be the last ever England match at Anfield.
Liverpool have staged England matches before and the attendances have always been good but once the new Wembley Stadium is eventually open, an occasion like this probably won't come around again. For this reason, it's one that should be savoured.
For Liverpool Football Club, staging an England international match is, I believe, a huge honour which every fan of the Reds should take great pride in. |
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