Ahead of the Game: Captain Courageous Out

AHEAD OF THE GAME

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007. 1600 GMT
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The news in 60 seconds

CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS RULED OUT
Steve McClaren is building up the tension before tomorrow's Must-Not-Lose qualifier against Croatia by refusing to reveal the team. The England head coach did admit that Captain Courageous would definitely miss out, despite training today, but then we all knew that anyway. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article2907205.ece

GERRARD HAILS TERRY INFLUENCE
John Terry may be restricted to a watching brief tomorrow, but Steven Gerrard says his dressing-room influence will still be crucial when the tub-thumping begins in earnest tomorrow. Gerrard has been doing his bit and he's promised the time has come to "do our talking on the pitch".
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article2908227.ece

TALLER ORDER FOR CROUCH
Peter Crouch was asked what he would be remembered for in an England shirt. "What, apart from a silly dance?" was his honest reply. Martin Samuel says to change that the forward - who has scored 13 goals in 23 England matches - needs to prove he can score when it matters.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article2903797.ece

WE ALL LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE
Joe Cole knows how to have a good time. He's promised to reward Tal Ben Haim with a free holiday after his team-mate's impressive performance for Israel. "I've got him a few brochures for Clacton-on-Sea," Cole said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article2903792.ece

OWEN SEEKS SURGICAL SPIRIT
Sam Allardyce has wasted little time spending the £500,000 compensation he's getting from the FA's insurers after the Northern Crock pulled up lame on international duty again. The Newcastle United manager has sent Michael Owen to see Dr Wohlfahrt, who sounds a little bit too much like one of Sherlock Holmes's enemies, in Germany.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article2906289.ece

AGBONLAHOR'S PLEDGE
Like the media-trained professional he is, Gabriel Agbonlahor has denied reports that he is on the verge of sealing a £15 million move to Arsenal - but left a little chink of light should the rumours be true. He says he doesn't want to "say too much because it's just a rumour" and says he's very happy at Aston Villa.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/aston_villa/article2908095.ece

FERDINAND CLEARED
Anton Ferdinand has been cleared of assaulting a man outside a nightclub in Essex. Ferdinand, 22, denied a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of affray, but admitted striking the first blow after his £64,000 watch had been "eyeballed" and a friend had been threatened.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/west_ham/article2908671.ece

GRANT'S FLYING LICENCE
Avram Grant will have to endure weekly flights to Tel Aviv while he tries to get his coaching career off the ground. The Chelsea manager will have to be in Israel every Monday - even when he's got a Champions League match the next day - to study for his Uefa Pro Licence.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article2903759.ece

HARTS IN RIGHT PLACE?
Not so long ago if AOTG had said that John Hartson was sinking so fast he was going to end up in Coca-Cola League Two, it would have been a jibe at the chubby former Arsenal, West Ham United and Celtic forward's waistline. But truth is stranger than poor jokes and Chester City say they are lining up a move for the 32-year-old West Brom forward.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article2908037.ece

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>>>>>FANTASY FOOTBALL WITH BRAINS<<<<<
* Register today for PlayTheGame, it's easier than picking the England team
* It's free and you can still enter
* Win monthly prizes and tickets to the Euro 2008 final
* http://www.timesonline.co.uk/playthegame
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If you've got another couple of minutes

PLAYING FOR KEEPS?
If only Rodney Marsh suffered from the same kind of verbal constipation that Steve McClaren is afflicted by. While we all wish the I'm A Celebrity star would put a cork in it after using the bush telegraph to blurt "I haven't had an Eartha Kitt for seven days" (among other misogynistic masterpieces over the past week), the England head coach took the opportunity provided by a captive room of journalists today to go red in the face and clam up. "I'm not revealing the team at all," McClaren said. "The players might have an idea but they won't know until 6.30pm tonight."
Which is not much good for an e-mail that goes out at 4pm (although the blockage may help to explain why he watched the Israel versus Russia game from the toilet).
Still, our man inside the camp suggests that there was much for McClaren to ponder. Robbo was letting the ball squirm under his body like a bunch of anacondas in a bushtucker trial during yesterday's training session and the England head coach spent the morning paying close attention to his goalkeepers. The rumours are that McClaren is set to drop Robinson in favour of Scott Carson, which meets with AOTG's approval.
But what do you think? Is Carson the man for the moment or is he too inexperienced to replace Robinson for such a crucial match? Email: sport@timesonline.co.uk

A NOSE FOR TROUBLE
Here's an ugly truth for Wigan Athletic fans to contemplate (and that's not a cheap shot at Steve Bruce's broken nose ... for once). Regulars at the JJB Stadium may be rubbing their hands with glee after the former Birmingham City manager was promised a £15 million war chest, but before they get too excited, we've had a quick glimpse at some of his signings at Birmingham. Gary McSheffrey (£4 million, 13 goals in 52 league appearances); Rowan Vine (£2m, one goal in 17 league appearances, now on loan); Garry O'Connor (£2.6m, one goal in 11 appearances, mostly from the bench); Walter Pandiani (£3 million, 17 appearances, two goals); Cameron Jerome (£3m, 10 goals in 50 appearances). That's about £540,000 a goal.

MODEL REPORTING
Jodie Marsh - whose idea of ball skills would bring water to the eyes of your average Premier League player - will be the BBC Asian Network's guest reporter for the Arsenal versus Wigan Athletic match on Saturday. The Page 3 model and desperate reality TV star proudly tells her BBC press release: "I don't know much about football but I love men." Who said that the BBC is dumbing down?

CARRAGHER ON THE PODCAST
Jamie Carragher has got more cheek than David Dunn if he thinks he can get away with discussing the future of the England team without AOTG mentioning his decision to retire from national service - and leaving us with Joleon Lescott at centre back in a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier. Nonetheless, that hasn't stopped the Liverpool stalwart from bringing his Scouse nous to bear on the issue of foreign players. In this week's TheGame Podcast, Carragher argues that the influx of international players is not harming England's cause. He says that the top 20 players will always rise to the top.
In a revealing interview, Carragher also argues that the latter stages of the Champions League are a better standard than international matches and that youngsters have it too easy. Matt Dickinson and Mark Pougatch join Gabriele Marcotti and Guillem Balague for a no-holds barred discussion about England's chances of qualifying for Euro 2008 and Steve McClaren's job prospects.

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>>>>>THE TABLOID SCANDAL<<<<<
KUYT RAIDED IN KOP STAR BURGLARY NO 5 - The Sun
What you need to know: 1) Soccer ace Dirk Kuyt has had his luxury home robbed. 2) The thieves struck while the 27-year-old was away on international duty with Holland. 3) Team-mates Jerzy Dudek, Daniel Agger, Peter Crouch and Jose Manuel Reina have all been targeted in the past couple of years. 4) Let's hope they weren't after Kuyt's medal haul: one Dutch Cup winner's medal and a couple of runners-up gongs hardly counts as a swag bag.
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A quickie before you go, sir?

MORE SKILLS THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT
The disgustingly talented Steve Nash, the Phoenix Suns point guard and the NBA's Most Valuable Player in two of the past three seasons, shows his football skills in this viral. Not content with waltzing through tackles and skipping over lunges on the soccer field, he also shows his tennis skills, juggles a basketball while skateboarding and makes a couple of three-pointers for good measure. We're offering the chance to ask Nash a question, so feel free to query why - with so much going for him - he's a Tottenham fan and whether he was the lad everyone love to hate at school.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/us_sport/article2895771.ece

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9
Number of clean sheets Paul Robinson has kept in 11 qualifying matches.
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In TheGame

Guillem Balague explains how Villarreal are mounting a surprise title challenge on the back of South American flair, a superb youth system and a Manchester United reject. Also on the new EuroGame Podcast , hosted by Gabriele Marcotti and Dave Farrar, the team look at why cheap ticket prices and packed stadiums mean German fans have never had it so good and Xavier Rivoire reports from France on why Paris is not a real football time.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/audio_video/podcasts/thegame/article2878699.ece
Are we fostering a breeding ground for bad sports? In this week's Debate, Martin Samuel asks why fans make such a big deal about segregation. Why can't we all just get along?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/11/the-debate-weve.html
Victorious but not forgotten. Israel did us all a massive favour by answering our call to arms and this is your opportunity to say thanks for their skill, courage, commitment and integrity.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/11/send-your-messa.html

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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
* I'll stop Mac going down the pan - The Sun
* Training errors leave Robinson in a sweat - The Guardian
* Saviour or passenger? Should Beckham face Croatia? - Daily Express
* Fall guy Robbo: more jitters mean Carson should start - Daily Mail
* Croatia unafraid of England except boot of Beckham - The Independent
* Robbo and Becks sweat it out - Daily Mirror
* England may gamble on Carson - The Daily Telegraph
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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox

In response to Allan Gillespie and his thoughts on the arrogance of Steve McClaren v Alex McLeish: there is a slight difference, mainly being McClaren should expect to qualify, if he doesn't he'll lose his job, McLeish is being feted for failing to qualify, and everyone is (rightly) hoping he'll stay in the job. It's not arrogance, it's just trying to put a brave face on an embarrassing situation McClaren created...
Alex can expect a reply on Thursday morning, AOTG suspects...

Dear Israel FC - You have my undying gratitude - well done lads!!!
Unlike Joe Cole, Heather in Toronto has not forgotten the debt we owe to Tal Ben Haim and the lads

Thanks lads you all played like demons - i also had Israel in an accumulator and won £400 for my fiver! Result!
Frank Alan Mills doesn't even offer to buy Ben Haim a beer

Send your mail to: sport@timesonline.co.uk

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Tomorrow's news today

- Why England can take heart from previous campaigns
- Martin Samuel explains why the FA needs to get kids' football in proportion

And expect...

Terry Venables to take the reins after Steve McClaren locks himself in the toilet five minutes before kick-off.

Spread the word. It's like pyramid selling but without the hassle. Click on the following link if you (or your friends) want to subscribe to this newsletter:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2187217.ece

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Anonymous tips, suggestions, funnies, fan mail and complaints: sport@timesonline.co.uk
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