Sven Finally Gambles



England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, the notoriously cautious Swede, has finally taken a gamble and although on it's face it seems rather outrageous and desperate there is always the chance we might be talking about this as a stroke of belated genius by the end of the World Cup.

Naming Theo Walcott, the 17 year old who has yet to play a Premiership match to the the England side caused shockwaves across England.

"If you take a 17-year-old boy to the World Cup of course it's a gamble," he said, "but I think he's ready and I don't think he will be nervous or feel the pressure. He's a very steady boy."

Sven was forced into taking such an extreme decison after the shocking injury to budding superstar Wayne Rooney and the questionable pace of England's other striker, Michael Owen.

In addition to Walcott, other surprises included the naming of Stewart Downing and the uncapped Aaron Lennon to the England side. That pair and Walcott make up a quintet, with Rob Green and Michael Carrick, who have never started a competitive match for England.

The consensus on choosing Walcott is uneven. Harry Redknapp believes Sven-Goran Eriksson's decision to include Theo Walcott in his World Cup squad "could be a tactical masterstroke."

SIR Bobby Robson, on the other hand, has blasted Sven's decision.

Robson, one of the Swede's most successful predecessors as England boss, criticised the decision as an unnecessary gamble.

Robson, who led England to the semi-finals in the 1990 edition, said to take the 17-year-old Walcott as one of only four strikers is a 'terrific gamble' given the doubts over the fitness of Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.

"I think that's a big risk," Robson told Sky Sports News, pointing out the obvious. "The squad worries me because he (Eriksson) is relying on Owen and Rooney - our two best strikers, of course - to be fit. There's no guarantee that either will make it."

Former England captain Bryan Robson believes Eriksson has lifted the country by naming the teenagers in his squad but he must give now them a chance to show what they can do in pre-tournament friendlies against Hungary and Jamaica. But Robson believes the decision to take them to the tournament has also deflected the doom and gloom surrounding injuries to Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.

Time will tell whether there was any wisdom or foolishness in Sven's decision but one thing he can no longer be faulted for is being too conservative or too afraid of taking chances and not only that, he has finally changed the nation's focus from the lack of Rooney to the addition of an unknown. It's a masterstroke, whether it proves a success or not and there was little else he could have done to alleviate the loss of Rooney. I think it will prove to be such an infamous decision we will one day mourn the loss of Sven by the end of the Cup.

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The Dutch also named their squad and surprisingly, Edgar Davids was left off:

Keepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United/ENG), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Henk Timmer (AZ Alkmaar)

Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Hamburg SV/GER), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona/ESP), Tim de Cler (AZ Alkmaar), Kew Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Jan Kromkamp (Liverpool/ENG), Joris Mathijsen (AZ Alkmaar), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Johnny Heitinga (Ajax), Barry Opdam (AZ Alkmaar)

Midfielders: George Boateng (Middlesbrough/ENG), Mark van Bommel (Barcelona/ESP), Phillip Cocu (PSV Eindhoven), Nigel de Jong (Hamburg SV/GER), Denny Landzaat (AZ Alkmaar), Hedwiges Maduro (Ajax), Wesley Sneijder (Ajax), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg SV/GER)

Strikers: Ryan Babel (Ajax), Romeo Castelen (Feyenoord), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuijt (Feyenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United/ENG), Robin van Persie (Arsenal/ENG), Arjen Robben (Chelsea/ENG), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (PSV Eindhoven)