Ray Clemence said there were no risks in playing Owen from the start and that Newcastle team-mate Smith would partner him. He told BBC Radio 5live: "Steve McClaren would not play someone who was a risk.



Beckham played injured
Rooney played injured

I'm not bothering with it, going out for a meal instead.

It's just another in a long long long line of pointless friendlies that 'new' wembley will ram down your throat in order to claw back a few of the hundreds of millions they spent on that ground.

Spot on! and the fact that a lot of the German squad are also out injured aswell as the England squad, Should be a dull game as 'Friendlies' all have been for many a year

To be honest even if it was the world cup final I couldnt care less how England do.

Sadly I've come to the same conclusion. England would have to suddenly become Brazil to resuscitate my interest.
Even if they were crap but still showed the same enthusiasm as Germany in the last world cup it would be a start.

Well we're half way there then!

It certainly is... 9pm BBC 2 & The next episode on @ 10 on BBC 3

I'm on nights!!!!

The BBC article states:

"Johnson has gone back to Everton because of fluid on a knee. "

Can he not just wipe it off?

I find it strange that so called football fans are`nt bothered about the national side.Im a football fan,i love the game,but at the same time i detest the showbiz aspect that it has become,but i suspect it just mirrors players like Carragher,Bentley etc who cant be arsed also.

Or is it the famous Hartlepool smalltown mentality.

Secret Life of the Motorway, BBC4 was very good.

Personally speaking I'm not a football fan, just a Pools fan.

I think that many people are footballed out. When you go to the match - there's footy on in the pub before, footy on in the pub after, MOTD etc; And then you have the same on the Sunday and every night of the week just about if you go out socially. Football used to be good for escaping normal life now you can't escape football.

i want England to do well and hopefully one day England will be successful but a meaningless friendly against Germany doesn't really float my boat......

Well I went......and it was shite!

Fantastic ground, no atmosphere whatsoever

I think theres about 4 or 5 thousand this applies to.

I agree. Don't have an awful lot of 'national identity' either. Can identify with all sorts of people but not on the grounds of their being English

Must just be me then.

Personally I want England to win every match they play. And I do give a shit if they don't.

I love to see us qualify for the major tournaments and make a point of watching them.

If we didn't qualify I'd be upset about it.

And I'd be ecstatic if they ever won a major tournament.

I'm proud to be English and I want my football team to be the best.

You lot are just miserable fekkers.

I haven't contributed to this thread but I guess being a regular attender of England games around the world at the Euro's and World cup's kind of makes the point for me.

I agree with you there. I always watch the England games when I can - usually drinking in the pub - and I do feel a sense of pride when we do well.

I hate losing to them lot......