What a complete and utter waste of everyone's time, apart from the relentless purveyors of hype that work for Sky Television. The players don't give two hoots, fans only turn up for traditional and habitual reasons and we learn nothing about anyone, apart from the new England boss who has quickly been exposed as a clueless clown.

Picking players like David Beckham, who have no chance of being involved in the 2010 World Cup campaign, was bad enough but to then watch him walk up and down the right wing posing for the cameras for an hour and compare him favourably to Ronaldo is the act of a man as mad as Mascherano (unless he meant the fat, useless Brazilian version of Ronaldo when the comparison would be valid).

Picking players like David James and Wes Brown, who have always failed to take their club form into international games, was another shocking decision.

James, as he proved with one of the most ridiculous penalty concessions in the history of football (so obviously a foul, even Ashley Cole and John Terry declined to protest), does not have the concentration required to play at a level when shots come along about twice a half.

Surely if anything was going to be gained from a match against an equally disinterested French side it would be in the selection of players like David Bentley and Glen Johnson just to see if they might have what it takes. I suspect I know the answer, but we might have to waste a couple more caps to seek confirmation.

Fabio Capello may have the team looking smart off the field, but on the pitch it remains the same ugly mix of good players out of position (Rooney), over-rated players out of position (Gerrard), has-been players in position (Owen) and players whose only suitable position would be kitman (Downing, Crouch).

Capello's only good decision was the de-selection of Terry as national skipper, but he immediately ruined that rare moment of good sense by replacing him with that other inappropriate role model Rio Ferdinand.



THERE is one huge beneficiary of the boring, long-winded and complicated boardroom row which currently dominates life at Liverpool FC.

Rafa Benitez is one lucky manager. He's overseen another season of mediocrity at Anfield, brightened up only by bursts from Fernando Torres, although even he's usually useless away from home.

Torres aside, squandered millions as well as the odd cup win, will be Rafa's Liverpool legacy. Unfortunately for the club's fans the brawling American owners have taken the heat off the manager and his very ordinary team.



CERTAINTIES in football are common place these days. We know who will fill the top three places in the Premier League each season, we know that Arsenal's failings will be blamed on their alleged youthfulness and we know that Gary Megson will bring bad results to any club he manages.

Megson's decision to field weakened sides in Europe has backfired spectacularly as Bolton slide to their inevitable departure from the Premier League. They looked a side without direction, motivation or ability at the weekend.

But if Megson is run out of town in the summer Bolton chairman Phil Gartside should accompany him. What a couple of years he has had with the messy departure of Big Sam, the disastrous experiment with Little Sam, the unfathomable appointment of Megson and the sale of their one survival hope Nicolas Anelka to a club who don't even need him.

It won't surprise you to know that Gartside has influence at the Football Association, the body that selects England coaches.