Should King go to the World Cup?

A player who over the years has been plagued by an endless amount of injuries to his knee. A player who cant train with his club team every day of the week. A player about to go to the world cup?

This season, Ledley King has made Fabio Capello's pressure driven job of delivering a world cup that ever bit harder with decisions like taking King on the plane to South Africa. One thing that is definite is that King's performances for Tottenham have been nothing less than brilliant for a man who is constantly surrounded by injury. Recent performances against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United make it even harder to deny King a place on a world cup journey that a couple of years ago would have seemed impossible. At the moment King substitutes the average training session for swimming twice a week and only once with the rest of the team. More significantly, he is unable to play more than once a week which if in the starting 11, would be required from him in the 2010 world cup. Despite the injuries, could anyone deny such a talented and solid centre back such as Ledley King even if it is to be for a place on the bench. Unlike the other centre back options, many would argue he is the only one that offers real competition to the ever present Terry and Ferdinand. Ledley's boss Harry Redknapp believes that "he is a cert to go to the World Cup." Its a decision causing great debate and controversy, but with a six day break between games in the World Cup, could this be enough for King to recover. If so then fine, but surely its important to see how he does in the friendlies against Mexico and Japan. With the usual centre backs Terry and Ferdinand seeming vulnerable for the first time in years, is Ledley King about to make a late charge onto the plane and also into a centre back position?

Thank you for reading this blog and please leave a comment on what you feel on this matter and also about the article as a whole.

Should David Beckham be picked for the World Cup

Like my last post, this is a topic that has sparked much debate and is a subject i know many feel strongly about after years of him restoring the pride into the England crest. So should he go to south Africa? or are England better off with taking Walcott, Lennon and Shaun wright Phillips instead? Unlike the other three, Beckham has experience that not many international footballers could ever dream of achieving. Arguably the greatest English pro ever, Beckham has proven over the years that he has the ability to change the course of a match just with his elegant passing skills. Yes, he has aged since the heroics in Greece, but surely just to have such an icon in the camp to keep the starting 11 relaxed and offering advice is ultimately enough to secure his place. I agree with the majority that he is no longer acceptable enough to be named in the starting 11, but in a matter of desperation, what better option to have entering the greatest stage of all. Beckham's class, ability and reputation all strike fear into the hearts of the opposition regardless of his exceeding age.
Admittedly, options such as the pace of Lennon and Walcott are luxuries and shouldnt be discounted. However, can Mr Capello afford to leave the biggest icon in the world to be sitting on a Spanish beach in the summer? I think not. You only hve to look at the magnificent evidence where Beckham has delivered remarkably under pressure, a trait few can master. Take Greece, i dont think you need reminding, last minut on the verge of missing out on a World cup, only Beckham could have saved us, and he did. Croatia, on the verge of not making it to Euro 2008, and indeed we did fail. Nevertheless, when he graced the Wembley pitch on that gloomy, damp evening, who was it that put England back in with a shot of making it? It was Beckham with one of the most magnificent long passes into the path of Crouch. He was one of few in that match who showed the real desire and passion that has been lacking for years now. So there is my verdict, i would be most greatful if you could leave a comment on the post and also your opinion on whether Beckham should be on the Plane. Thank you. :)