The boy who messed with batty,but why isnt he in the England side? (Graeme Le Saux)

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Product:	Graeme Le Saux
Date:	09/04/02 (3026 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great left back, The only left back, Smart kid

Disadvantages: Left back in the changing room, Likes ass, Smart ass

What is going on here with Britains best and most qualified in skill and experience at left back Graham Le saux as far as England goes. We and Mr Ericsson know that we are short in that position and cant rely on the likes of Chris Powell and Phillip Neville to set the world alight there in Japan.
So why wont the great Swede go any where near the Chelsea wing back whos playing great football this year.

The first reason quoted by the people in the game is his disciplinary record. But in the 39 games he played for England he only received two yellows. In his pro career at Chelsea he has had only four reds in over 4oo games and is nowhere near the top of theirs or the national teams disciplinary league.
Although its fair to say that one of those four reds was in front of the England coach when he has under the watchful eye.

I think its more about the players respect for him in what is a very working class game and the prejudice that goes with it. Firstly hes a bright educated guy with a degree in economics from the London School of Economics which is anything but a new university.
During his early days at Chelsea whilst still studying for that he was often shunned by more down to earth lads because he read the Guardian whilst furious card schools raged.
There are very few middle class English kids playing the beautiful game with Graham perhaps the most erudite.

I think this is not only a threat to fellow England teammates moral who may be intimidated by his long words and eloquent wordsmithery. But to the England boss himself who is not quite as qualified and may think that he doesn?t have the Chelsea guy kneeling at his feet eating crumbs from the Swedes hands.
Its fair to say that the Swedish Gurus power is in his tactics and reverence over fairly dim players who he has playing as a unit for him and the country.
Graham Le saux reading the Times during team building painting by numbers by the knuckle draggers of the li
kes of Andy Cole and co might get Mr Ericsson.

Another more obvious problem is the wide belief that because he looks homosexual and has these high brow tastes and watches The West Wing he must be one of them, and not one of the boys. Working class boys like their UK Jungle music and chart dross banging in the changing room before kick off for motivation and perhaps dread the day its Grahams turn to play his CDs.
The Chelsea wing back was the guest on the infantile Wright and Bright show last Saturday where they let the selected player play some fav tunes.
But it wasn?t the latest urban beats or dance crap that so defines your average premiership brain dead player but Cole Porter and 1950 blues guitar. Mark Bright was sniggering away in the background whilst Wright was being sarcastic.
There and then did one realize how intimidated the two-likeable presenters were by some when very rare indeed in the game of football.

Lots of the foreign players are educated with the league currently supporting, doctors, lawyers, linguists and accountants from the Northern European cities. Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal speaks four dialects and is armed with a degree in business studies and accounting.
Apart from Le saux and one or two fringe players, there are no English big names with any significant qualifications.
This guy in blue is clearly to bright for his teammates and is fortunately at a cosmopolitan club like Chelsea where he is not on his own for brains.

Ericsson has to pick this guy though who is playing great football for an under achieving team. Hes a natural left footed player and one of the best crossing it in from their and is not afraid to run at defenders to get them on a yellow card putting them immediately under pressure.
Hes fit and pacey with a great understanding of the game and not afraid to pick a fight with David Batty of all people.
Mr Ericsson, if you are reading this. Get this guy in for at least a pla
ce on the plane!.

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