FA can’t see the Wood for the trees

BY all accounts, no amount of persuasion would have changed Liverpool star Ben Woodburn’s commitment to Wales, the land of his grandfather, but the fact remains he is English born and bred.

The fact remains Woodburn (left) has slipped through the English net. It happened at a very early age, a lot earlier than was the case for Wilfried Zaha, who now represents the Ivory Coast.

If someone does not want to play for England, that’s fine, but the pool of talent is not deep enough for the FA to persist with the attitude that they should not have to convince players to commit to them.

Like it or not, the ultraflexible rules and regulations make international sport a competitive market.

The FA should be in it.