Carragher on playing for England

[Batch]

'Representing your country is the ultimate honour, especially in the World Cup. Not to me.

'Did I care we'd gone out of the tournament? Of course I did. Passionately. I've never given less than 100% in any game.

'Despite this, whenever I returned home from disappointing England experiences one unshakeable, overriding thought pushed itself to the forefront of my mind, no matter how much the rest of the nation mourned.

'At least it wasn't Liverpool,' I'd repeat to myself, over and over. The text messages of consolation I received on the coach included one from Kenny Dalglish.

'I would rather miss for England than LFC,' I wrote back. I confess: defeats wearing an England shirt never hurt me in the same way as losing with my club.

'I wasn't caring or indifferent, I simply didn't put England's fortunes at the top of my priority list. Losing felt like a disappointment rather than a calamity.

'I was never in love with playing for England in the first place. By the time I stopped I felt a huge weight lifting.'

I can't work out if it was put in as he knew it would bring  publicity for his book or whether he really means it, ro whether it was sour grapes ecause he was never good enough to command a regular England spot .

Truth is it backs up what many already thought. No wonder the bunch of fuckers are useless if they all have this attitude.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

They prefer playing club football because they get a lot of money for it. That's all really. None of the current crop have ever cared about playing for England except maybe Beckham.

[Reg Smeeton]

They prefer playing club football because they get a lot of money for it. That's all really. None of the current crop have ever cared about playing for England except maybe Beckham.

 I'd pretty much agree with that, although I'd put Michael Owen in the caring bracket as well.

 I remember years back when it looked like we might miss a qualification, maybe the Greece game, when you felt, most of teh cunts would prefer to be on a beach somewhere spending their millions....it was easy to imagine Beckham being the prime culprit here, but of course he dragged us through more or less on his own.

[Fred Elliot]

The words of a bitter man

[Rich Pullen]

Carragher has won pretty much everything except the league and any international honours. He's always been a fringe player even when he deserved more with Engerland - I guess I'd be bitter too, even if England was of utmost priority to me (which it would, alongside Swindon!).

There are so many people that play for England and probably see it as a midweek chore as opposed to it being an honour. The inclusion of Jimmy Bullard has been refreshing as it's clear that that man wants to play for his nation.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

I like Bullard. He's one of them players that gives 100% every time he steps onto the pitch. We do need them types in the England shirt.

[Lumps]

I think he's probably just being honest.

He's a one player club that plays for his home town club. He's a first choice player at his club side. Why is it a suprise that he cares more about the results of the team that he plays for every week and has been with since he was a lad, than a national team that he used to get together with a few times a year and was only ever on the fringes of.

I care more about Swindon's results than I've ever cared about my national side. I'm sure most of you do too.

[leefer]

The fact is average players rack up 50 caps...its not special any more,i mean does playing Andorra get the juices flowing for top players...it should do but i doubt it does.

[Rich Pullen]

The fact is average players rack up 50 caps...its not special any more,i mean does playing Andorra get the juices flowing for top players...it should do but i doubt it does.

It shouldn't matter who England are playing. Andorra have just as much right to enter these competitions as us. It must be a chore for the likes of Brazil to always play inferior opposition... but they all ten to enjoy playing for their country. No excuse - the England call up should be honoured all we might as well not bother...................................................... and form Team GB.

[Simon Pieman]

I wonder if Carragher would rather miss for LFC rather than being not good enough to play for England?

[Batch]

I think he's probably just being honest.

Yes, that's the problem.

He shouldn't come out with crap like that even if he has a book coming out. He was happy enough to pick up his England pay (and associated club callup bonuses) yet "didn't put England's fortunes at the top of my priority list. Losing felt like a disappointment rather than a calamity."
 
I do want our national team to win, but I have become dissillusioned and disconnected with them and crap like that doesn't help. Is it any wonder we haven't won anything since '66

[DiV]

this coming from the same say guy who the other day said he wanted to become Liverpool manager and destroy Alex Ferguson then went in to admint he was a boyhood Everton fan

to be honest, if hes got a new book out hes trying to create publicity because honestly, who gives a fuck about what Jamie Carragher thinks...

[flammableBen]

Can I hold out any hope that this isn't a crap shadow written autobiography cash-in and he's actually gone and written a dystopian thriller?

[Matchworn Shirts]

The inclusion of Jimmy Bullard has been refreshing as it's clear that that man wants to play for his nation.

I assume for that statement you did not hear Bullard before the 2006 World Cup when he said he would be ready and waiting if he recieved a phone call from Klinsmann for a call-up to the squad (his grandmother is German)

[flammableBen]

Being desperate to play for any nation is still better than not giving a shit at all.