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Sunday, May 5, 2002
Jansen still in England frame
Joe Melling
Wes Brown: Back to fitness
(Allsport)
Matt Jansen will be given a make-or-break opportunity to claim an 11th hour ticket to join England's World Cup task force.
Sven Goran Eriksson will delay naming his final 23-man selection for Japan and South Korea for 48 hours so he can make a last-minute assessment of Blackburn striker Jansen, along with Manchester United's Wes Brown.
The England coach was all set to announce on Tuesday the squad which he has formulated in his mind over the past 16 months.
The FA insist Eriksson decided on a delay only because he wished to ensure that all candidates emerged unscathed from Wednesday's Premiership showdown at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Arsenal.
But it understood that Eriksson's instincts tell him that Jansen should be the one surprise inclusion in his squad, and the Swede hopes to have it confirmed that same night.
Either Eriksson or his trusted assistant, Tord Grip, will make the final judgment on Jansen at Blackburn's game against Liverpool.
The inclusion of Jansen would be a far greater shock than Bobby Robson's late decisions to go with Peter Beardsley and David Platt in the World Cups of 1986 and 1990 respectively.
Although Jansen has six Under-21 caps, he has not kicked a ball for England at senior level. He was included in the squad for the first time to prepare for last month's final friendly international against Paraguay but was forced to withdraw because of a stomach upset.
The player expressed great disappointment that his chance seemed to have been lost, but vowed not to abandon all hope until the World Cup squad was announced. Even so, his selection seemed so unlikely that he booked up his holidays in June.
Now it seems certain that on Thursday he will be forced to tell his younger brother, Joseph, that he is unable to act as an usher at his wedding on June 15 because of a more pressing engagement in Japan.
He has been blissfully unaware that Eriksson has maintained a constant monitoring of his potential for the last six months, at least.
Whereas Eriksson has been a devoted fan of United defender Brown since taking up his England appointment officially in January 2001. Jansen is quite definitely a Johnny-come-lately. The moment Brown confirmed his return to full fitness after a five-month absence through injury, his name was pencilled in immediately by the admiring Eriksson.
But with Jansen it has been very much a case of slowly but surely forcing his way into the consciousness of the coach through a string of impressive Premiership performances. Eriksson intends basing his squad selection not only on the names of the best players available but those who will provide the right balance in tournament conditions.
In the case of players expected to be on the fringe of his first-choice 11, versatility is the key. Jansen can not only perform as an out-and-out striker but also as a flank player on either side of the pitch.
The left side of midfield continues to provide Eriksson with his biggest headache. He has Kieron Dyer earmarked for the position but the livewire Newcastle player failed to impress from the left against Paraguay.
Jansen is a confident young man who suggests he would not be fazed in the least by the intense pressure of World Cup combat. Remember, he stunned Manchester United by preferring a move to Crystal Palace from Carlisle because he believed he would have more opportunities to develop his talents through first-team experience at Selhurst Park.
Since a £4million move to Blackburn, he has established himself as a big favourite at Ewood Park, scoring in the 2-1 Worthington Cup final success against Tottenham back in February.
Jansen, 24, has persuaded Eriksson and Grip that he could be their secret weapon in Japan and Korea. The final analysis will be made on the back of his effectiveness when pitted against Liverpool's formidable defence. Unless he has an absolute stinker, it looks as though Jansen will get the World Cup vote in front of West Ham's Trevor Sinclair.
The versatility of Brown, too, in being able to function either as a centre-back or emergency right-back will allow him to edge out the experienced but ageing Martin Keown.
Heartbreak is on the cards again for Phil Neville. The Manchester United player was excluded from Glenn Hoddle's plans at the last minute for World Cup 1998 and, even though brother Gary misses out through injury, Eriksson will prefer Brown as the replacement.
The precocious Joe Cole looks like clinching his place in the pack as Eriksson's wild card. The West Ham youngster, richly talented but as yet worryingly undisciplined in the more sophisticated area of team play, is viewed by Eriksson as a star of the future.
But there is no doubt that Eriksson believes Cole has the ability to perform a rescue act as a substitute if a game is going against England.
England's 23?
Goalkeepers: David Seaman, Nigel Martyn, David James
Defenders: Danny Mills, Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Southgate, Sol Campbell, Wes Brown, Wayne Bridge, Ashley Cole
Midfielders: David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves, Nicky Butt, Kieron Dyer, Joe Cole
Forwards: Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Teddy Sheringham, Darius Vassell, Matt Jansen
soccernet
Jansen still in England frame
Joe Melling
Wes Brown: Back to fitness
(Allsport)
Matt Jansen will be given a make-or-break opportunity to claim an 11th hour ticket to join England's World Cup task force.
Sven Goran Eriksson will delay naming his final 23-man selection for Japan and South Korea for 48 hours so he can make a last-minute assessment of Blackburn striker Jansen, along with Manchester United's Wes Brown.
The England coach was all set to announce on Tuesday the squad which he has formulated in his mind over the past 16 months.
The FA insist Eriksson decided on a delay only because he wished to ensure that all candidates emerged unscathed from Wednesday's Premiership showdown at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Arsenal.
But it understood that Eriksson's instincts tell him that Jansen should be the one surprise inclusion in his squad, and the Swede hopes to have it confirmed that same night.
Either Eriksson or his trusted assistant, Tord Grip, will make the final judgment on Jansen at Blackburn's game against Liverpool.
The inclusion of Jansen would be a far greater shock than Bobby Robson's late decisions to go with Peter Beardsley and David Platt in the World Cups of 1986 and 1990 respectively.
Although Jansen has six Under-21 caps, he has not kicked a ball for England at senior level. He was included in the squad for the first time to prepare for last month's final friendly international against Paraguay but was forced to withdraw because of a stomach upset.
The player expressed great disappointment that his chance seemed to have been lost, but vowed not to abandon all hope until the World Cup squad was announced. Even so, his selection seemed so unlikely that he booked up his holidays in June.
Now it seems certain that on Thursday he will be forced to tell his younger brother, Joseph, that he is unable to act as an usher at his wedding on June 15 because of a more pressing engagement in Japan.
He has been blissfully unaware that Eriksson has maintained a constant monitoring of his potential for the last six months, at least.
Whereas Eriksson has been a devoted fan of United defender Brown since taking up his England appointment officially in January 2001. Jansen is quite definitely a Johnny-come-lately. The moment Brown confirmed his return to full fitness after a five-month absence through injury, his name was pencilled in immediately by the admiring Eriksson.
But with Jansen it has been very much a case of slowly but surely forcing his way into the consciousness of the coach through a string of impressive Premiership performances. Eriksson intends basing his squad selection not only on the names of the best players available but those who will provide the right balance in tournament conditions.
In the case of players expected to be on the fringe of his first-choice 11, versatility is the key. Jansen can not only perform as an out-and-out striker but also as a flank player on either side of the pitch.
The left side of midfield continues to provide Eriksson with his biggest headache. He has Kieron Dyer earmarked for the position but the livewire Newcastle player failed to impress from the left against Paraguay.
Jansen is a confident young man who suggests he would not be fazed in the least by the intense pressure of World Cup combat. Remember, he stunned Manchester United by preferring a move to Crystal Palace from Carlisle because he believed he would have more opportunities to develop his talents through first-team experience at Selhurst Park.
Since a £4million move to Blackburn, he has established himself as a big favourite at Ewood Park, scoring in the 2-1 Worthington Cup final success against Tottenham back in February.
Jansen, 24, has persuaded Eriksson and Grip that he could be their secret weapon in Japan and Korea. The final analysis will be made on the back of his effectiveness when pitted against Liverpool's formidable defence. Unless he has an absolute stinker, it looks as though Jansen will get the World Cup vote in front of West Ham's Trevor Sinclair.
The versatility of Brown, too, in being able to function either as a centre-back or emergency right-back will allow him to edge out the experienced but ageing Martin Keown.
Heartbreak is on the cards again for Phil Neville. The Manchester United player was excluded from Glenn Hoddle's plans at the last minute for World Cup 1998 and, even though brother Gary misses out through injury, Eriksson will prefer Brown as the replacement.
The precocious Joe Cole looks like clinching his place in the pack as Eriksson's wild card. The West Ham youngster, richly talented but as yet worryingly undisciplined in the more sophisticated area of team play, is viewed by Eriksson as a star of the future.
But there is no doubt that Eriksson believes Cole has the ability to perform a rescue act as a substitute if a game is going against England.
England's 23?
Goalkeepers: David Seaman, Nigel Martyn, David James
Defenders: Danny Mills, Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Southgate, Sol Campbell, Wes Brown, Wayne Bridge, Ashley Cole
Midfielders: David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves, Nicky Butt, Kieron Dyer, Joe Cole
Forwards: Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Teddy Sheringham, Darius Vassell, Matt Jansen
soccernet
