I am sure it would have done Gareth a lot of good to have got away and

I am sure it would have done Gareth a lot of good to have got away and had some international experience. Thompson, who competed for England in the same event seven years ago in Australia, said: “I had a great time. Alan Thompson, the Aston Villa midfielder, reckons that young players like his own team-mate Gareth Barry (who has been excused from that championship by the English FA) are being subjected to too much pressure at a young age and that participation in events like the Nigeria one are much more beneficial at this stage of their careers. Here, our federation would take 18 months just to discuss what to do next.” It seems that our hitherto dilatory governing body is now a trail blazer.THE REPUBLIC of Ireland, who have been heavily criticised for their decision to take Robbie Keane to the World Youth Championship in Nigeria in April, causing him to miss six of Wolves’ promotion games, has received support from an unlikely Midland source.

Giammaria Visconti, executive vice-president of Internazionale (and nephew of the famous film director), rang David Dein, the Arsenal vice-chairman, after hearing of the FA’s decision to tell him: “It could only happen in England. Nevertheless, the smart money is on Hiddink leaving the European champions before McManaman does.CONTRARY TO expectations, the Football Association’s snappy decision to re-play last week’s FA Cup tie between Arsenal and Sheffield United because of the unsporting manner in which the Gunners’ “winner” was scored, has been favourably received world-wide. Even the player himself has admitted that his role in the side has not yet been defined. It is a well-known fact that coaches who have signed players on free transfers – as with the Liverpool player – are under less pressure to field them than those signed for many millions. It has been said that Guus Hiddink does not want the player and certainly all the pro-McManaman comments have come from the president, Lorenzo Sanz, rather than the Dutch coach.

Widzew, who were leading scorers in their country last season, won 3-1.IT IS rumoured that Steve McManaman – whom, it is reckoned, Keegan will bring in from the cold – has been acquired by Real Madrid not so much to play as to be sold. The fact that the Spanish giants are pounds 130m in debt may have something to do with the latest gossip doing the rounds in the capital. Had he taken himself a few miles down the A3 to Kingsmeadow Stadium he would have been able to watch a leading Polish club, Widzew Lodz, play Kingstonian.The visitors, who are on a short pre-season tour of the country, included three full internationals among others in their side who could well be taking the field at Wembley on 27 March. It had been knocked down from pounds 2.50 to pounds 1.50 to pounds 1.INSTEAD OF painting a rosy picture of England’s future to the media on Thursday, Keegan’s time might have been better spent putting himself in the picture vis-a-vis the Polish threat to England’s European Championship hopes. Which is more than can be said for his poor, played-out predecessor.