Sven Answers Fans Questions

Filed in archive England on May 9, 2006

image: thefa.com

After shocking the world yesterday with his ballsy/mental [delete as appropriate] World Cup squad selection, Sven-Goran Eriksson sat himself in front of a PC at FA headquarters and answered fans questions in a live webchat. You can read the complete thing here, or read on for edited highlights...

Best Question:

Chris in Lancashire asked "Why was Owen Hargreaves selected?"

Why indeed. The answer, according to Sven is that Hargreaves is "versatile". which I'm not sure I agree with.

Worst Question:

Someone known only as 'lutonfan' actually asked "What I want to know is did you ever consider young talented players?"

Was 'lutonfan' not watching?

Most Ethically Unsound Question:

Ian from Harrogate asked "Would you consider a tactical result to avoid meeting certain teams in later knock out matches - Brazil or Germany for example?"

The answer was of course, no.

Some useful info garnered from Sven's answers:

• Defoe and SWP were the hardest to leave out.


• Downing impressed Sven by setting up 3 goals in Middlesbrough's legendary UEFA Cup semi-final second leg.


• ivory Coast will be the surprise of the World Cup.


• He's been thinking abou Walcott for the last couple of months


• Anton Ferdinand was considered as a standby player


• Robbie Fowler was never really considered.


• If there are any problems with the central defenders, Sven will check in on Ledley King in early June.


• Playing Gerrard in the hole behind a striker is "certainly an option we are thinking about.


• A Chelsea style 4-3-3 with Crouch flanked by two wingers (Walcott and Lennon?) is a tactical possibility should both Owen and Rooney be unfit.


• The decision to take Lennon over SWP is based on recent form (though I'll bet Ian Wright's big gob helped swing it.)


• Walcott's best position is "in the hole" says Sven


• We actually have 5 strikers, if you count Joe Cole. I don't.