Each team participating at the FIFA World Cup 2010 has until midnight tonight to name their final 23 man squads. Bafana Bafana named theirs at a press conference this morning and the bi g news (worldwide) was the omission of striker Benni McCarthy.
Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs, Shu-aib Walters
Defenders: Aaron Mokoena (captain), Siboniso Gaxa, Bongani Khumalo, Anele Ngcongca, Tsepo Masilela, Lucas Twala, Mathew Booth, Lance Davids, Siyabonga Sangweni
Midfielders: Teko Modise, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Steven Pienaar, Thanduyise Khuboni, Kagiso Dikgacoi, Macbeth Sibaya, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Surprise Moriri
Strikers: Bernard Parker, Katlego Mphela, Siyabonga Nomvete
Following last night’s 5-0 win over Guatemala in Polokwane, South frica have now gone 11 matches unbeaten and face Denmark in their final warm-up game before next Friday’s opener against Mexico at Soccer City.
England’s squad announcement, due at lunchtime was delayed until this afternoon. But that didn’t stop journalists leaking the details of the 7 players left out of Fabio Capello’s original 30-man training squad.
As the BBC’s exasperated Jonathan Stevenson remarked:
This is a most unsatisfying resolution to quite an important announcement. We’re still waiting on the names of four of the England players who will not be travelling to South Africa.
and then:
Oh for crying out loud. I love Fabio, but this has gone on way too long – and according to Express sport, the official announcement won’t be until 1500 BST now. It’s frankly a shambolic and unacceptable way for England’s World Cup campaign to begin.
Transfer deadline day ain’t got nothing on this. It’s carnage.
And he’s right. After a blisteringly good qualifying campaign, England have looked shakier and shakier against Mexico and then Japan. Now, the FA have messed up the squad announcement which should have been a straightforward press conference: how difficult is it to read out 23 names?
Are the wheels coming off already? It’s really not a good start.
UPDATE: Finally – at 1600 BST, the rumours are confirmed:
ENGLAND’S 2010 WORLD CUP SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, David James, Robert Green.
Defenders: Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock
Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Forwards: Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney
Meaning that Leighton Baines, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Scott Parker, Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott and Darren Bent don’t make the squad of 23.
Upson, Carragher, Carrick, and Lennon look like the weak links to me. Oh – and all the goalkeepers.
i think Fabio is waiting until the very last millisecond to hear about Barry’s fitness.
.-= Geoffrey Chisnall´s last blog ..LOST in 3 minutes =-.
I hope you have been practicing penalties!
.-= Simon´s last blog ..simonwillo: Press release in for Twlight movie launch. Opening line "Get ready for a “Twihard” experience " I swear to god. =-.
How did my tweet get into my comment?
.-= Simon´s last blog ..simonwillo: Press release in for Twlight movie launch. Opening line "Get ready for a “Twihard” experience " I swear to god. =-.
Geoffrey > Could be. But he’s got til midnight. Anyway, looking at his defensive options, midfield is the least of his worries.
Simon > Oh please. Don’t. #penalties
And the tweet was put there by our resident elves. All part of the service.
Phillip > Bafana have every reason to be confident. A draw against the Danes would be a great result.
well, Bafana Bafana, will go into the first round quite confident. lets hope Denmark give them a wake up call without breaking that confidence.
And that first game, wow. So much hinges on that game.
.-= Phillip Gibb´s last blog ..GenArts Sapphire =-.
Is it only the English who do this circus of a squad announcing? It’s beyond crazy, with what seems like the 23 names being leaked bit by bit on twitter by “Journo’s in the know”
yeah, gutted dawson ain’t in. would have taken him over upson.
just hope barry is fit enough. has not had game time in a while either so there is another weak link i think.
oh well, those are the 23 and i’m behind them all the way!
.-= Geoffrey Chisnall´s last blog ..LOST in 3 minutes =-.
What’s your take on Warnock ahead of Baines?
wiggy > Not heard it from anywhere else…
geoggrey > I would have chosen my 2 year old daughter over Upson.
Simon > Rock, hard place, devil, deep blue sea.
We’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, aren’t we?
Didn’t Warnock play for the Blades?
Might have been his Dad, I suppose.
GaiB > Liverpool, Blackburn, Villa. Never reached the heady heights of the Blades.
His namesake who managed us was (is) a legend though.
No Walcott, then -> Thoughts, Mr Gooner?
15 starts in a season after getting broken playing for the Under 21s is not enough. And when he did start he wasn’t that inspiring – well pretty crap actually. (Better off the bench, mind.)
But Lennon (always injured) and Wright-Philips (who can’t get a start in the Premiership)?
When a 21-year-old, relative beginner is the subject of all the headlines for being left out, it suggests that England are just a touch short of what it will take to win anything much.
Did Japan qualify?
GaiB > Lennon worries me. SWP less so – if he fires, he’s awesome.
Twice now that Walcott has made headlines over his world cup squad inclusion – or lack of it.
Has Fabio forgotten Zagreb?
Japan – Group E with Denmark, Holland, Cameroon. (I did that without checking!)