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August 15,
2002 (Thursday) from Jonathan Woodgate Club
Woodgate
back in the fold
Jonathan Woodgate, the Leeds United
centre-half overlooked by England
following his conviction for affray last season, will be selected by
Sven-Goran Eriksson for the party to face Portugal in a Sept 7
friendly at Villa Park. Eriksson will watch Woodgate play against
Manchester City at Elland Road on Saturday.
Eriksson and Adam Crozier, the Football Association's chief
executive, have discussed the issue of Woodgate's availability and
agreed that now is the right time for him to return to the
international fold. Before the World Cup, Eriksson indicated that
Woodgate would have to serve a similar ban to England fans who are
disbarred from the Englandfans travel club for three years if found
guilty of civil-order offences.
Technically, this means Woodgate should remain in the cold until
January 2003 as his offence occurred in January 2000. But Eriksson is
keen to get a defender he rates so highly back into contention as
swiftly as possible. Martin Keown has retired from international
football, Ledley King is injured, John Terry is in court while Wes
Brown has not convinced Eriksson of his potential.
With Rio Ferdinand out with an ankle injury, Eriksson is short of
fully fit centre-halves. He sees Woodgate - capped only once, against
Bulgaria in June 99 - as a rival to Sol Campbell to partner
Ferdinand. Ferdinand and Woodgate built up a promising axis at Leeds
before Ferdinand left for Manchester United.
Woodgate's club-mate, Lee Bowyer, is not expected to be in the squad
but the young Leeds keeper, Paul Robinson, may be in contention.
Eriksson will name his squad on Aug 31 or Sept 1 and doubtless some
quiet deals will be done with the Premiership's leading clubs about
how many of their employees Eriksson should summon.
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