England watch - Glen Johnson
Right-back Glen Johnson
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Wednesday, 23, Aug 2006 05:29
Steve McClaren's England era is off and running: Captain John Terry is proving a unanimously popular appointment, Owen Hargreaves, against all odds, appears to be the solution to Sven's fatal midfield conundrum and Becks, Sol and David 'safehands' James are but distant memories.
Now on the agenda are the players of the future. Who will make or break Macca's time in charge of the Three Lions, who will provide the inspiration behind England's charge in Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland and, most importantly, who will help deliver the 2010 World Cup in South Africa?
Each week we take a detailed look at some of the more unheralded players who could outshine their more established international team-mates in four years' time. Soho Square take note. First up, a certain hit-or-miss Chelsea defender.
Name: Glen Johnson
Position: Right-back
Club: Chelsea - currently on season loan at Portsmouth
Age at start of South Africa 2010: 25
At 35, even the seemingly ageless Gary Neville will surely be past it come South Africa 2010. This agreed upon, the problem of replacing the United stalwart could prove one to rival the infamous, although thanks to Joey Cole now sorted, left midfield black hole.
Several names have deputised at right-back in Neville's international absence: a very average Luke Young, most recently; centre-back Jamie Carragher; midfielder Hargreaves; the disastrous Danny Mills; sibling Phil Neville. But the list is hardly inexhaustible.
Having said this, one player who unquestionably has the talent, if not yet the temperament, to prove a more than capable successor to Neville is Glen Johnson.
Chelsea first spotted his potential and splashed £6 million of their hard-earned cash on bringing him to Stamford Bridge from West Ham in the summer of 2003, despite him having played just 16 games for the Hammers' first team.
A sensational first season at the Bridge under Claudio Ranieri proceeded. Johnson played 32 times for the Blues, scoring four goals, and in the process earned his first senior England cap, replacing Neville during a 3-2 defeat by Denmark in November 2003. Destined for greatness, was the unanimous opinion.
However, this high proved to be a peak which Johnson has struggled and failed to repeat since. Injuries, inconsistency, inexplicably rash challenges, reported binges and the forgetting of passports for European trips have all conspired to irritate Blues boss Jose Mourinho, who arrived in 2004 bringing with him the reliable, if unspectacular, Paulo Ferreira.
Four Premiership appearances and four FA Cup games were all Johnson was entrusted with last season but now on loan at Portsmouth this term he has regular first-team football at his disposal and the chance to restake a claim for the England right-back slot on a permanent basis.
England under-21 coach Peter Taylor, for one, believes Johnson is the man to replace Neville but questions remain as to whether the attacking full-back, who has an abundance of pace and flair, can control his aggression, can be trusted by Harry Redknapp at Pompey and, most importantly, whether he can exhibit the commitment and belief, that some have questioned, which he needs to become a truly great footballer.
If he can, Neville's days are numbered but if not, then we could be looking at the first right-back to play for England into his 40s.
England's 2010 World Cup squad
*Players in bold - tickets to South Africa booked already
Goalkeepers
Paul Robinson
Possibles: Chris Kirkland, Ben Foster, Rob Green, Scott Carson
Defenders
John Terry, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher
Possibles: Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, Micah Richards, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Anton Ferdinand, Leighton Baines, Justin Hoyte, Curtis Davies, Wes Brown, Phil Bardsley, Michael Mancienne
Midfielders
Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Owen Hargreaves, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick
Possibles: Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone, Nigel Reo-Coker, Lee Cattermole, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Stewart Downing, Giles Barnes, James Morrison, Kieran Richardson
Forwards
Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen
Possibles: David Nugent, Theo Walcott, James Vaughan, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Darren Bent, Dean Ashton, Cameron Jerome