England Watch – Michael Dawson
Wednesday, 13 Dec 2006 17:24
Dawson has shone at Spurs since joining in 2005
Like his team-mate, central defensive partner and captain Ledley King, Michael Dawson's main sticking point when it comes to breaking into the England starting XI is the stability and longevity of the current partnership for the Three Lions.
While John Terry and Rio Ferdinand seem able to walk into Steve McClaren's first choice line-up for each competitive game, it is a real struggle for any other aspiring English centre-half to make an impact, unless there is an injury or suspension. Even then for Dawson, he seems to be lower down the pecking order among an impressive generation of central defenders.
So what chance is there that Dawson will make that all-important flight to South Africa in 2010?
Alistair Potter discovers more about the other half of Spurs' impressive young English defensive pairing.
Name: Michael Richard Dawson
Position: Centre-back
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Age by South Africa 2010: 26
After humble beginnings in Nottingham Forest's youth system, Michael Dawson has quietly risen up the footballing pecking order. This rise, which initially passed many critics by, culminated in the then 22-year-old's selection as a stand-by player for England's last World Cup campaign in 2006. Although he did not take his place on the plane for that trip, Dawson has impressed the England management before as an integral part of the Under-21 set up between 2003 and 2005.
The defender was discovered by Spurs scouts while playing for Nottingham Forest in their Championship relegation season of 2004/05. Dawson, along with team-mate Andy Reid, joined the north London club from Forest in January of that season in a deal that was believed to be worth in excess of £7.5 million.
That fee now seems to have been a bargain for Spurs, who have since sold Reid to Charlton Athletic for £3 million and still have on their books one of the most exciting young centre-back talents in the country.
At just 23, Dawson already demonstrates maturity that belies his youth. He is a composed defender and has struck up an impressive partnership with club captain King, which is widely regarded to be the most solid all-English pairing in the country.
In this partnership, Dawson is frequently the more vocal of the two while King prefers to lead by example rather than by barking instructions. As a result, the two complement each other well, leading to many calls (albeit mostly from the white half of north London) that they, together with fellow club-mate and England first choice goalkeeper Paul Robinson, should be considered the perfect combination to take over when Ferdinand and Terry are unavailable.
Quite simply, 23-year-old Dawson is an excellent prospect for international duty. He has shown all the ability and composure that is sought in any England centre-half and many would say he is overdue a first full cap.
It may be that his chance will come as a result of the misfortune of one of his peers but if such a situation does arise, Dawson can most certainly be relied upon to fill the void admirably.
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