KEANE: NEVILLE NOT INFLUENTIAL

Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane has said that he does not expect his former teammate Gary Neville to be calling the shots when it comes to the decisions with England at Euro 2012. Gary Neville has been working as a pundit ever since retiring from his professional career this season. However, Roy Hodgson recently revealed that he has decided to take Gary Neville along with him to the Euro 2012 as part of the coaching staff. Many have been suspecting that Gary Neville would be calling the shots due to his influential personality, but former Sunderland manager Roy Keane differs from the opinion.

Roy Keane knows Gary Neville better than anyone else having played with him for 12 years during a trophy laden Manchester United career. Keane has said that he expects Gary Neville to be on a learning curve at the Euro 2012 with England. This is the first major tournament Gary Neville will be part of as a coach. Bryan Robson famously did the liaison role for England at the Euro 96. Keane expects that Gary Neville will be doing a similar role now. Gareth Southgate is also known to switch between football punditry and coaching seamlessly.

“Don’t think for one minute he was as influential in the dressing room as people might think he was. Gary would say his piece, but he wasn’t running the show – far from it. So don’t think for one minute he will be going into England and calling the shots. He will be learning his trade and being a link between the manager and the players and I think he will be good at that. Bryan was already a manager then [with Middlesbrough] but he didn’t take too many training sessions,” said Roy Keane in response to Gary Neville being taken to the Euro 2012.

LAMPARD BACKS FA

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has said that the search for a new manager to lead the England national side will not be hurting their chances of performing well at the Euro 2012. England are probably the only major team to come into the Euro 2012 without a manager after the resignation of Fabio Capello a few months ago. Stuart Pearce has been put temporarily in charge of the team, but it is highly unlikely that he will be given that position full-time. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was linked with the job heavily, but the English FA are yet to approach the former Portsmouth manager regarding the vacant England manager job.

Yet, Frank Lampard believes that the search for a new England manager will not disrupt their preparations ahead of the Euro 2012. England are in the group containing France, Sweden and hosts Ukraine. France are seen as the only real contender for England in their efforts to qualify for the quarter-finals. Despite the lack of a new manager, Lampard has said that the number of inclusions of youngsters that has happened in the last few years is certainly healthy for the national team. The 33-year-old midfielder is likely to play in his last major tournament for England.

“It’s something, as a player, you learn to cope with – managers leave at times you don’t expect them to. Can it be a negative because we’ve lost a manager and we lose our way, or can it be positive because we galvanise ourselves, whoever comes into lead us galvanises the team and it goes very well? We’ve seen that happen so many times. The important thing in this situation is that you’ve got the ability in the squad and in the players,” Lampard told reporters. England will be playing friendlies against Norway and Belgium shortly.

ENGLAND MAY DELAY APPOINTMENT

England Football Association director Trevor Brooking has said that England could wait until a few days before the European championships kick off before appointing a replacement for Fabio Capello.

Fabio Capello resigned from his post as the England manager a few weeks ago, but a replacement is yet to be found.

The England Football Association initially announced that it intends to announce a replacement for Fabio Capello as quickly as possible.

However, the manager to appoint only England under 21 manager Stuart Pearce as the caretaker manager for now. Harry Redknapp has been the favourite to take over as the next England manager, but the current Tottenham manager has refused to commit himself to the job.

As a result, Sir Trevor Brooking has said that England are not under compulsion to announce a new manager as soon as possible. Hence, they will be taking their time before making the appointment, as it needs to be perfect this time around. The appointment of Fabio Capello was expected to bring major success to England, but it has not happened that way.

Further, Fabio Capello’s huge £ 6 million salary demands made it look extremely a null return on the investment. Sir Trevor Brooking has said that the football Association is not prepared to make the same mistake this time around and are willing to take their time before making the appointment.

“Everything will be in place. The backroom staff is very good. Whoever comes in will be really happy with that. The issue is the timing that is why we don’t think we are in any rush. I think you could get somebody parachuted in a few days before it, though I’m sure there are some people in our group who don’t want that,” said Trevor Brooking ahead of the England’s match with Netherlands.

WILSHERE MAY MISS EUROS

England manager Fabio Capello has been dealt with the major blow with the news that Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere could miss the rest of the season and consequently the Euro 2012 as well.

Jack has been out of the Arsenal first team at the surgery performed on his knee in order to cure the stress fracture. He was initially expected to come back into the first-team during January, but an unexpected setback in his recovery process has now meant that it is very much unlikely that Jack Wilson will be back by March. The Arsenal medical team have confirmed that Jack Wilshere will not be available until March at the earliest.

This would leave Jack Wilshere with very little time to impress manager Fabio Capello when it comes to the squad selection for the Euro 2012, which is being held in Poland and Ukraine. Jack Wilshere was thought to be making good progress on his rehabilitation.

However, the Arsenal medical team suddenly noticed pain in his right knee, and have decided to take the precautionary measures in order to prevent future problems with the knee. Jack Wilshere said on Twitter that it is very much up to the medical team to determine the return date to the first-team.

“If you had told me that Jack would not have played one game by February I would have said: ‘That’s impossible’. Especially I like to have a left-footed player in midfield. We miss that little burst from Jack. How do you say in English? Gutted,” Wenger said.

England manager Capello has been looking to mould the England national team around Jack Wilshere, and the Euro 2012 could have been a major step towards doing so. However, as it is, the participation of the young Arsenal midfielder is highly unlikely now.

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