It was in October 2010 that Rio Ferdinand wrote an open letter in support of England’s ultimately doomed World Cup bid.
In it, he name-checked the players whom England fans might see on the global stage in 2018: “We’ve got some talented youngsters, the likes of Josh McEachran, Ross Barkley, Ezekiel Fryers and John Bostock…”
Ferdinand’s words show the danger of predicting any young footballer’s path, with two of that number now playing second-tier football and Bostock moving from Lens to Bursapor in January. Barkley, newly signed by Chelsea after 179 Everton appearances and 22 England caps, is the exception, yet even he finds question marks pursuing him as he begins a new chapter in London.
The first questions concern the transfer itself, given that the player, also coveted by Tottenham Hotspur, had initially chosen not to join Chelsea when backing out of a £35 million deal last summer. Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, called for a police investigation into “whether any fraud has taken place” when Barkley ended up at Stamford Bridge after all – this time for £15m, with Chelsea agreeing to pay agent fees of around £7m.
Denne historien er fra March 2018-utgaven av When Saturday Comes.
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Denne historien er fra March 2018-utgaven av When Saturday Comes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Pirate Transmission
Broadcasters around the world are paying huge sums to screen football, but they will not be willing to invest if they cannot be protected.
Scandi Drama
Years before it was screened live in the UK, England’s Football League was building a cult following abroad thanks to a visionary broadcaster.
Pot Of Gold
A rare meeting between two local rivals brought FA Cup fever – and a useful financial boost – to one corner of Hertfordshire
Digital Divide
From earnest post-match punditry to being used in actual players’ matchday preparations, the virtual game is becoming increasingly blurred with reality.
Haringey Ladder
The decision to walk off in the face of abuse has shone a national spotlight on a community club with a progressive approach
Bournemouth 0 Norwich City 0
Dean Court may have received a Premier League facelift but against today’s visitors the home team fail to live up to their status, although the low-quality draw they play out is still somehow reassuring.
Room With A View
Hampden Park
Not In The Script
ARSENAL FILM
Out Of Place...
After another unsuccessful qualifying attempt Martin O’Neill is under pressure, while a poor Republic of Ireland squad is only getting weaker
Uncomfortable Truth
At the end of April Sheffield United surprised many people by re-signing Ched Evans, who, following a retrial, has now been found not guilty of the rape charge for which he spent two-and-a-half years in prison.
