THIS IS ENGLAND
The turnout for Lee Carsley’s leaving drinks isn’t looking all that great. With a viral case of knack spreading through the England squad, eight players have shown this season’s third international break the door marked Do One. It’s allowed the departing interim manager to dish out some resignation honours, with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers among a handful of uncapped players plucked out of the under-21s and told by HR, repeatedly, to chuck in a tenner for Carsley’s farewell gift. Don’t forget to sign the card.
One man who won’t be pulling out of Carsley’s squad is Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis, unless he wants his future father-in-law to call him a “BIG BABY!”. Yes, the defender, awaiting his first England cap, is set to become family with Roy Keane. Following Saipan and all that, Keane remained very serious about international commitments during his stint as sidekick to Martin O’Neill with the Republic of Ireland. When asked in 2015 if Robbie Keane (not family) would be good to feature against Germany days after the birth of his son, Roy’s straight-faced response was as old-school as you’d expect: “Why wouldn’t he be? He didn’t have the baby, did he? Unless he’s breastfeeding he should be all right.”
Harwood-Bellis hails from Stockport, a town continuing to develop a reputation as a footballing hotbed, with Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer the prized assets. “We might as well just move Wembley up here,” tooted Stockport Council on the socials after the 22-year-old’s call-up. The area also continues to invite a cliched brand of nickname, with Harwood-Bellis a couple of solid displays away from being labelled the Stockport “insert legendary Big Cup-winning centre-half”.
Finally, Football Daily sends its best wishes to Carsley ahead of his final two fixtures against Greece and the Republic of Ireland. The 50-year-old has probably clocked by now the toxicity of the position he inherited, one that invites manufactured fury if you don’t sing a song, one that’s yours until you’re apparently no good at all because you’ve lost, um, one game after having just a little bit of fun with your starting XI, presumably upsetting the same people who wanted Gareth Southgate to Take the Handbrake Off. Can you blame him for never really knowing whether he wanted the job or not? The loving embrace of the under-21s – tournament football with a little less jingoism, experimentation without intense scrutiny, a place where he’s already enjoyed significant success – awaits.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
I will enjoy it. It’s going to be in my club with so many people, good weather. Having the opportunity to be, I don’t know if I’m the first, a professional football player and professional tennis player, just for one game, it’s a privilege” – Diego Forlán is not the first to change his boots for a professional tennis racket, but his appearance this week at the Uruguay Open, an ATP Challenger tournament, will still be notable. The former Manchester United striker chats to our tennis correspondent, Tumaini Carayol.
Hang on! Re Martin Ødegaard saying he’s ‘listened to my body’ like a 90s pop sensation? No idea what you may be on about regarding the 90s, but isn’t that reference more appropriate for the Prince Classic 1999? Or did you just get slightly confused by the song title? That’s not like you … oh wait” – Lochlan MacDonald.
Sport in [the USA USA USA], isolationist as it is (World Series, really?), does deliver one huge advantage over the increasingly persecuted fans of European and British football. No international breaks” – Lindsay Williams.
I have the perfect solution for three soon-to-be-vacant jobs: send David Coote to the Match of the Day sofa/chair. Send Gary Lineker to Fenerbahce. Appoint José Mourinho as a referee to replace Coote” – Krishna Moorthy.
Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Lochlan MacDonald, who lands their very own piece of Football Weekly merch. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.
