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By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport
Former England striker Michael Owen’s row with Alan Shearer and criticism of David Beckham have spiced the international break.
Owen has been criticised by Shearer for comments he made in his new novel about joining Newcastle United, until he hit by questioning his former team and international team-mate’s devotion to the Magpies.
In his newest book, Reboot My Life, My Time, Owen claims that he still holds some bitterness towards Beckham for getting shipped off in a World Cup last-16 game against Argentina in 1998, which England lost on penalties.
BBC Sport asked Owen to name his finest England XI – since his debut in 1998. Himself wasn’t picked by the 39-year-old but keep reading to see if Shearer and Beckham produced the cut – and have your say in the article’s close.
Because for quite a very long time this creation has been suited by England players, I would certainly choose a 3-5-2. Look under Terry Venables at Euro 96 and in France at the 1998 World Cup, once we had been a brilliant team and should’ve gone together with Glenn Hoddle as manager. Then we went through a small disastrous period plus it complies with 4-4-2 and variations of it.
I remember playing for the England team and we’d Paul Scholes as a left midfielder and things like this. It was clear that 3-5-2 is the creation that we should have adopted and that knows how far we’d have gone in eras.
At the World Cup, Gareth Southgate went back to 3-5-2, therefore we are suited to it. Glenn Hoddle are the manager because he and 3-5-2 play as well.
This is most likely a place where we have not been at our strongest for several years. I would say David Seaman is the best goalkeeper within the past couple of decades. He had been a very safe pair of hands. At Euro 96 he awakened. He was a top-class goalkeeper.
On pure capability, someone such as David James has more – but the consistency of Seaman is what made him a very great goalkeeper. I was only with him but he proved to be a calming effect.
Sol Campbell: Sol was an superb player. He had strength pace and a excellent reading of the match. I would say he wasn’t as great on the ball because the other two however, in terms of defending, not much got past him. He might score goals in set-pieces and was very courageous, very good. He was as strong as a rock for a centre-half.
You may have a joke with Sol as well although He’s pretty severe. Everybody’s different. There are typically 23 players, which means you don’t get everyone 19, when you match England. He could defend and climbed into the occasion that is significant.
About is Rio Ferdinand rio Ferdinand: If you are currently talking about classy players then one of the very first people that you think. He was the Rolls-Royce of the footballing match. He made everything look effortless, a tiny bit like Liverpool centre-back Virgin van Dijk today in that it’s almost like he is not even trying and can be in second gear all of the time. He could have easily played midfield, he was good on the ball. He was exceptional.
He wasn’t among those that used to lunge his body in and make a block. Every single performance was measured and composed – . He scored from the second round against Denmark – but it was a personal goal and I chased him about it all of the time.
He did not score many targets and, even it was that if I could criticise Rio in one way. I really don’t believe coming up for corners and sticking his head in where it hurts was his forte but, in terms of everything else, he had been an well-oiled machine.
John Terry: John was an remarkable player. He did not have was speed but you never saw him get caught out. A great reader of the game right-foot – just a pleasure to watch. You’d train with him and he would take your breath away how great he had been to get a centre-half. Generally speaking, they were not as good on the ball as he was but although I am not being patronising into centre-halves.
His body would throw . He’d block, he would win each header. He was also just a who had been brilliant on the chunk. Sometimes I really think he had been under-rated. He had been outstanding.
He was among the bubblier personalities. He reassuring and always talked and, from the changing room before games, he had been the loudest voice.
David Beckham: It was difficult to leave out Gary Neville since he was great. However, I’m likely to put David Beckham in because, well, just take a look at his limits his England album and some of his great moments. Naturally, he was a person in the dressing area from the pitch however and around the squad, he was one of those lads.
He perfected a skill that has been quite unique at the time: how he grabbed the ball; the way he had that form of dip and whip. He had practically a bend on his free-kicks and corners. Cross it immediately, which will be and he wished to have a touch.
In my novel, I praise him to high heaven but if I mentioned to you asked you if David Beckham did exactly the perfect thing in 1998 by minding someone what would you say? He did not. He got sent off. It was not my fault, the lovers‘ or yours. He even also made a mistake.
Would be harmed our opportunities and that he made a mistake – it did. However, that doesn’t mean he is not a player that is fantastic and is not likely to get in my team.
Ashley Cole: Ashley Cole was considered as probably the ideal left-back on the planet at a time. Everybody recalls the time – he was only outstanding in that match.
He had been that modern day wing-back: a fantastic defender who can get. He had the electricity and legs to be in a position to do so, and wing-back probably suited him as well. He was with no in your face, talkative. He was certainly vocal, although he was not the John Terry-leader style. He had been an absolute pleasure in the group.
Steven Gerrard: I played some excellent players – Zinedine Zidane was away from the scale concerning natural talent – however, if I had been playing the greatest game of my life tomorrow, the very first person I would likely take into battle would be Stevie. He could do everything. He was enormous , his stride was enormous and he just utilised to devour earth.
He had been too large and too powerful for his opponents, an passer of the ball, he can dribble, score objectives, defend, handle and head. There wasn’t anything really that he couldn’t do. The only thing is if you ask him to sit in midfield because he’s just too great for it.
I can not provide any higher praise than that to him.
We were large mates. I joined Liverpool at 11 and we played at the exact identical team right the way through. We grew up playing together with each other. We all know each other’s games possibly more . We had that sixth sense between us. I believe he’s genuinely one of the best England payers to have dwelt.
Paul Scholes: Everyone says Paul is a genius of an individual participant and he played on a different level. Because he is forever looking the other way you’ve got to actually know the principles of disguise and the sport for one and Scholesy to play well. You believe you have not been seen by him and he then whips one round the corner into your feet.
You got to be on you feet with Scholesy. He’s presuming a step ahead of all people – and you could make him seem a player because he’ll end up as you’re dreaming about something 35, giving away the ball!
He was supremely gifted, scored goals and needed a radar of a pass. He was unassuming. He was first off the practice ground at the end. Once I finished training, I had been wanting to get at the showerhave my lunch and get house – but at the time I’d got to the area, Scholesy had had a shower and also moved. He had been quite elusive.
Frank Lampard: Frank’s goalscoring record is phenomenal. He gets in my own team, to get a midfielder scoring for that amount of targets is very scarce and that alone. He deserves the maximum praise for receiving and devotion the most out of his career like Beckham in several ways.
He practised and practised. As you have Scholes, who is just you have got folks such as David and Frank that have been there after refining their skills and coaching hitting balls.
Regrettably, plenty of people questioned if the Lampard-Gerrard venture could work together, and it was likely because they were equally good. It was too tempting to get forwards that we did not have as much discipline in the middle of midfield.
If we had an excess body, such as a Scholesy, I believe that they would have thrived – Scholesy {virtually sitting and playing the quarter-back role then Frank and S
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