A Bridge Too Far

I think it was my good friend Swiss Tony who once told me "playing football is like making love to a beautiful woman"

I'll be honest I've no idea what he was talking about, but as a car salesman what did he know about playing football. But in Tony's comparison I guess the higher the level of football the more beautiful the woman- making the MJSL akin to Susan Boyle

There is obviously beauty in football- in the playing style of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, in the winning of trophies (not like Wenger's Arsenal), in overcoming injury and adversity and in the passion of the fans.

There is of course beauty in women as well, just ask John Terry he seems to find it in lots of them. And Terry's deeds with the ex of his one time team mate, Wayne Bridge, have led Bridge to quit the England team. Firstly I'm starting to think Terry should sleep with other wives of English players that we don't want playing for our national side- no names mentioned.

Now on to the real issue- Bridge! So he has turned his back on the England side at the moment when the England side actually need him. Not to be harsh to him but at no other point has Wayne really been needed by England- there has always been Ashley Cole. But Cole is injured, and though the Egypt game is not important it is what lies beyond that which matters. Cole may still be unavailable come the World Cup. Enter Wayne Bridge surely? Well not now!

I personally am not a fan of Bridge, it was never a shock to me that he was second choice at Chelsea and England to Cole, he's not as good. In fact the only thing that has shocked me is that he has always been second choice to Cole for the three lions, especially in recent times with Stephen Warnock and Leighton Baines' stock rising.

And now we turn to Capello and wondering who will take Bridge's and possible Cole's place come June 12th against U.S.A. There is Warnock and Baines, two of the player's who even before this recent news would have been in the Italian's thoughts. Fabio could also turn to centre back come left back Joleon Lescott. Undoubtedly Lescott has more experience for England than the other two but he has never looked truly comfortable in an England shirt and he has been average at best for City this season whilst the other two have shone.

One other option would be to change the position of a player who had surely already booked his place to the World Cup and it could come in the form of either James Milner or Gareth Barry. Should everyone in the midfield be fit Milner would probably start this summer's tournament on the bench, despite his performances over shadowing those of Steven Gerrard this season, so with his versatility he could play at left back but that would mean restricting his impact as a great player to bring off the bench. Dropping Barry back would open a whole new question of who might fill in at Barry's position of the holding glue to England's attacking midfield. Once upon-a-time there was a defensive English midfielder who could have done such a job, his name was Owen Hargreaves- no really it's not a fairy tale!

For me, in a World Cup, you can't chop and change a player's position just 4 month before the biggest tournament in these players lives. One of Warnock or Baines should be the left back in the squad, the other though may not make it at all. With Milner, Barry and possibly Lescott in the squad there may not be the need for a second left back in the squad.

I guess if playing football is like making love to a beautiful woman then the World Cup would be Cheryl Cole. So that's two England left backs who won't be making love to Cheryl Cole then!