Three Toon Lions hope to shine on world stage
SO HERE we are about to embark on yet another World Cup extravaganza with England standing at the crossroads between success and failure.
Can Callum Wilson add to his four England caps and one international goal as back-up to skipper Harry Kane after a three-year exile?
Can Kieran Trippier become Newcastle’s blue-chip player as an England regular?
Will Nick Pope be given a chance to redeem himself after his last – for him – inexplicable international performance against Germany at Wembley in September?
And here is a long shot: Can Trippier, Wilson and Pope claim World Cup winners’ medals like Ashington brothers Bobby and Jack Charlton at the end of a six-week interruption to the Premier League?
I believe Wilson will need another hat box even if only playing as a sub; Trippier will be a significant figure.
Pope will find it hard to dislodge Sunderland’s own Jordan Pickford simply because he is a Gareth Southgate favourite - and as for England becoming world champions, we can but dream!
One thing is for certain: a rejuvenated, swashbuckling Newcastle United have presented England with three players in the form of their lives.
It all begins on Monday when Iran come to the opening party. Not the harshest of starts but then after England’s recent form we need to grow into the tournament.
We are told Iran will be far from a pushover having drawn with Senegal and beaten Uruguay of late but frankly if England get worried about them – or other group rivals USA and Wales for that matter – then they can forget all about perhaps nicking the trophy.
Iran are coached by former Manchester United coach Carlos Queiroz and their star men are Bayer Leverskusen striker Sardar Azmoun and Porto’s Medhi Taremi.
However, they ought to be more in awe of Kane and his cohorts.
Southgate’s record in big tournaments promises much, bordering on excellent, but has he gone as far as he can?
In 2018 he became only the third England manager (after Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson) to reach a World Cup semi-final and three years later he established himself as the first boss to lead his country to the European Championship final, where England agonisingly lost to Italy in a penalty shoot-out.
That team at Wembley included Trippier at right-back. He will be des
perate to take a significant step further.
However, England’s so-called Golden Generation of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Rio o FerdiFerdi nand, Wayne Rooney, Ashley hley Cole, John Terry and Gary ry Neville actually won not a thing so it is difficult to make out a case for Trippier and co to do better... unless Southgate can suddenly transform himself into miracle worker Eddie Howe!
I have covered England at World Cups right from that glorious summer of 1966 66 through to Japan in 2002 2 and at this stage, on the eve of the tournament, hopes have inevitably been high.
Reality has taken a little longer to dawn.
Yet I have so many y memories. Yes, of Wor Bobby and Geoff Hurst, little knobbly knees Nobby Stiles il and d the elegant Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks and Big Jack winning the Jules Rimet Trophy.
Also of the Brazil side of 1970 in Mexico, the greatest football machine I have ever witnessed highlighted by the genius of Peleand Italia 90 when only a penalty shoot-out prevented star people in Newcastle’s history like Gazza, Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley and Sir Bobby making the final. Then there was France 1998 won by the host nation with a Newcastle-bound Stephane Guivarc’h failing to score a solitary goal go and David Beckham being sent off for lashing out at Argentina’s A Diego Simeone, on Alan Shearer scoring a penalty and Michael Owen O slaloming through their defence to spectacularly herald his international i arrival. I travelled throughout Japan Ja for the first World Cup Cu finals of the 21st century watching with satisfaction as Becks gained his revenge r with a penalty on winner. Argentina Such was the Hollywood w idol status of England’s finest Japanese girls g camped outside the England E hotel 24 hours a day da and even when ordinary nar hacks like me emerged we were we inundated with pressies i and d pleadings to pass them on to David.
I had enough geisha fans inscribed with messages to cause a gale! My hope is that Trippier justifies himself, Wilson adds to his cap collection and Pope is more than the water boy.
Also that all three come home fighting fit to rejoin Newcastle United’s exciting Premier League charge.