IF Sven's men keep dropping like flies it might even come to the point where Steve McManaman gets a game. God forbid.

McManaman has gone public with his unhappiness at being left out of the England squad saying he cannot understand it and finds it "very confusing".

Actually it's not confusing at all - and in the absence of anybody else telling him why he is not included, may I inform him that the reason is because he continually produces sub standard performances for his country - and England will have enough problems in Japan and Korea without carrying a player who does not seem capable of reproducing his club form for his country.