Found this article on line, quite amusing, so what you think:
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ENGLAND EURO 2004 LADDER BEGINS
Friday February 13 2004
By Sarah Winterburn
You know the idea - there are 23 places up for grabs for the Euro 2004 England squad and we take a guess who Svennis will be picking to fill them, moving folk up and down according to form, favour and criminal activity.
This is our first stab before Wednesday's friendly clash with Portugal - which might see a bit of climbing up or sliding down the ladder...
ON THE PLANE
Set in stone barring major injury (or conviction for spitting at a woman in a nightclub), despite the two strikers on the list hardly having the most explosive of seasons. But just imagine how bad Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen would have to be before they didn't get picked. Yes, that's right - Diego Forlan bad.
1. David Beckham
2. Michael Owen
3. Steven Gerrard
4. Sol Campbell
5. Paul Scholes
6. Gary Neville
7. David James
8. John Terry
9. Ashley Cole
10. Nicky Butt
11. Wayne Rooney
AT THE AIRPORT
These lot shouldn't be complacent but steady form between now and June should see them heading for Portugal rather than the usual Ayia Napa this summer. And before anyone complains about Heskey's inclusion, be realistic and accept he's probably going. It's like the day you admit to yourself there might be no Santa Claus - scary but kind of liberating.
12. Kieron Dyer
13. Wayne Bridge
14. Frank Lampard
15. Emile Heskey
16. Paul Robinson
17. Jonathan Woodgate
PACKING THEIR BAGS
If the team was being picked this week then this lot would be on the plane, but a lot can change in just a few months: they're certainly in the cheap seats. Ian Walker is clinging on despite recent performances - but only because Chris Kirkland and Richard Wright are permanently crocked - while the others shouldn't even risk glancing at their laurels (whatever that means).
18. Joe Cole
19. Matthew Upson
20. Darius Vassell
21. Owen Hargreaves
22. Jamie Carragher
23. Ian Walker
CHECKING FLIGHT AVAILABILITY
These are the guys who will get chances in the coming months and they must grab them with both hands (and not drop them, if you're Chris Kirkland). For most there will be other chances, but they'll all believe they can get there this time. They would never be so crude as to wish injuries upon others - but Nicky Butt should probably make sure he's on P Neville's side in training.
24. Scott Parker
25. Gareth Southgate
26. Phil Neville
27. Jermain Defoe
28. Chris Kirkland
29. Glen Johnson
30. Danny Murphy
31. Danny Mills
LOOKING AT BROCHURES
All bar two of these names have been in England squads before, while Shaun Wright-Phillips is soon likely to join that list if he continues his one-man campaign to keep Man City in the Premiership. The encouraging thing about this lot is their youth - you'd fancy this lot to be in the 2010 World Cup ladder too, though possibly a little loser to the top.
32. Ledley King
33. Alan Smith
34. Gareth Barry
35. Jermaine Jenas
36. Richard Wright
37. Shaun Wright-Phillips
38. JLloyd Samuel
39. James Beattie
40. Anthony Gardner
WATCHING THE TRAVEL SHOW
It will probably take a minor miracle for these lot to ne included - many of them suffering from the glut of quality midfielders England currently have at their disposal. But watch out for Alan Thompson to leave this lot behind if he actually gets a friendly chance. The rest can mostly whistle.
41. Kevin Nolan
42. Martin Keown
43. Lee Bowyer
44. Alan Thompson
45. Lee Hendrie
46. Chris Riggott
47. James Milner
48. Sean Davis
49. Francis Jeffers
GETTING A DECK CHAIR FOR THE BACK GARDEN
50. Wes Brown
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What! No Ugo Ehiogu!
What do you reckon anyway? Has she got it right?
no worries, i can see that... and thats quite true about neville and butt... soz!
