All time England Team (since 1966 when I first watched them)

Shilton

Anderson Pearce

Moore Adams

Coppell Robson Gascoigne

Charlton

Lineker Shearer

Goalkeeper

A bit controversial choosing Peter Shilton over Gordon Banks and maybe David Seaman and Ray Clemence. But for longevity, playing through several generations of football, bossing the defence, saving and commanding the ball, it’s Peter Shilton.

Right Back

Just like Man Utd, England have never had world class full backs. So you have to choose from steady full backs or the occasional genius but there’s not much there and most of them, even the ones with lots of caps are hard to remember. I always ask myself, if I was a player who would I not like to play against, either as a forward or a defender. Playing against Viv Anderson would be the most difficult, though there have been some other good steady full backs. Paul Parker had the pace but wouldn’t frighten me; Gary Neville for a time was world class but not right now. Phil Neal, steady but hard to remember. Always loved Terry Cooper and Mick Mills, but in the end for gangly awkwardness, it’s Viv Anderson.

Left Back

This one isn’t so difficult. Who would I not like to play against? Who would frighten me? Who brings sprit to the team? Who can belt a good left footed free kick? Who’s got the bottle? Who can get up the wing? Who’s a Psycho? Stuart Pearce. Others to think about; Kenny Sampson well capped, Graham Le Saux on his day can be lethal, Ashley Cole not sure about yet, but I wouldn’t be frightened to play against him.

Central Defenders

One player picks himself straight away. Bobby Moore. Reading of the game, pace, tackling, passing, commanding the team. That’s the easy one. The other one is hard to choose. I laughed when I saw Jack Charlton chosen for the all time England team which is what prompted me to write this. But the more I looked at it the more difficult it was to choose this player. In every generation there’s one big centre back who stands out. Norman Hunter, Dave Watson, Terry Butcher, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown, Mark Wright. I thought about who was the most difficult, the tallest who’s won something, who can score goals. I nearly went back to Jack Charlton, but in the end for spirit, tackling, longevity, I’ve gone for Tony Adams.

Midfield

Always the most difficult ones to choose. There have been so many good players but no consistently great midfielders for England. Sure in their time Brooking, McDermott, Peters, Waddle, Hoddle, and the rest sometimes did it, and what about all those skilful players not given a run for England, Stan Bowles, Tony Currie, Alan Hudson, Matt Le Tissier, Rodney Marsh, Frank Worthington, Now it gets difficult because there have been so many midfielders. It also depends on if there’s going to be 2 wingers. Two hard central midfielders or one hard one and one skilful, or two skilful central midfielders.

One of the best ways to choose, is to look at the number of caps and goals. You can’t go far wrong there. Mind you how does that explain John Barnes!

You also need something a bit special, someone who can produce a magic touch when needed. So for caps and steady play and goals and defending and box to box, it’s Bryan Robson. For something special it’s Paul Gascoigne. He did it in Italia ’90, he did it in Euro96, he can score goals, he can create goals, he’s daft as a brush and represents all those skilful players who never got a look in for England.

Next. I’ve just changed my mind. No I’ve changed it again! Controversially I’ve got Stevie Coppell. I want a winger who can cross the ball and plays well for England. I think Beckham is over rated and plays nowadays like they’ve changed to a plastic football, in other words he overhits his passes and shots. He doesn’t do many crosses, and he’s not so good he plays well in central midfield. So I’ll go for Coppell for the time being. However, if you want goals goals goals from all your midfielders then 2 players stand out. David Platt and Martin Peters. I don’t remember Martin Peters that well, but the more I read about him the more I realise what a great player he was. So I’d probably have him instead of Coppell if pushed. Platty never seemed that good, but for a while was England’s only scoring player. A bit like Scholes.

The final player in midfield, or the third front man is of course Bobby Charlton. You have to have him in. He’s a winner, he has the caps and goals. He has the stamina, the passing ability the long range shots. He’s the first choice along with Bobby Moore. It means that some of those linking favourites aren’t in the team. Beardsley and Sheringham, Scholes. Others like Hoddle and Le Tissier never really got the chance. Who cares, Bobby scored the goals.

Attack

This one’s not so difficult, just choose the top goal scorers and hope that does it. Just one problem, there’s more than 2.

I guess I’ll go for the modern day players who can also move wide. Lineker and Shearer. Gary Lineker’s ability to be in the right place at the right time served England well, mind you, you could say that about Geoff Hurst. Shearer can do the lot, including free kicks. Maybe I should have Jimmy Greaves; again, I don’t remember him that well but his record is second to none.

You have to pick two, which means Michael Owen (still not sure about him), Robbie Fowler (who’s never quite produced it), Kevin Keagan, Roger Hunt, don’t get a look in. With Lineker and Shearer playing you always feel they’ll have a good game and produce something.

First	Second	Third	Fourth	Smile	Frown
Shilton	Seaman	Banks	Clemence	Banks	Shilton
Anderson	Neville	Parker	Neal	Dyer	Anderson
Moore	Ferdinand	Hughes	Charlton	Moore	Hunter
Adams	Campbell	Thompson	Hunter	Ferdinand	Charlton
Pearce	Le Saux	Sampson	Dorigo	Le Saux	Pearce
Robson	Bell	Ince	Ball	Waddle	Stiles
Gascoigne	Platt	Hoddle	Waddle	Gascoigne	McMahon
Coppell	Peters	Beckham	Hunt	Brooking	Robson
Charlton	Beardsley	Sheringham	Francis	Charlton	Lee
Lineker	Greaves	Owen	Hurst	Lineker	Shearer
Shearer	Keagan	Fowler	Channon	Worthington	Wise