With so many player’s away on international duty, training at Cobham this week has been something of a sposmadic affair. Things started to improve when those who were away with England returned. Numbers were boosted and Mourinho could start to prepare for the forthcoming game against Newcastle United.
However, the manner in which the U21 play-off between England and France was settled last night, may see a few raised eyebrows at Cobham as Lassana Diarra and Carlton Cole return to club duties. It’s hard to see them as potential bossom buddies after Diarra’s late dive(?)earned France the late penalty that eventually saw them progress to next summers finals.
Whilst accepting that player’s universally accept it is a way of life and that these things are often forgotten about the moment the game ends, I can’t help thinking we’re unlikely to see a scenario similar to that which greeted the players who had taken part in the England v Italy fixture in the mid to late nineties.
Both countries had been placed in the same World Cup qualifying group and on an eventful night at Wembley, Italy triumphed 1-0 to edge closer to the finals and take a grip on the group. The solitary goal that night was scored by Chelsea’s favourite son, Gianfranco Zola. It was a goal that was to see Franco booed, at away grounds, for several months to come.
At the time, team comraderie was at its highest for several season’s, thanks to the work done by first Glen Hoddle and then Ruud Gullit. Nevertheless, when Zola and Di Matteo (who had also played that night) returned to training at Harlington, the players were somewhat taken aback when both arrived wearing their Italian tops, delightfully reminding the English contingent in the squad, exaclty who had won.
Somehow, I can’t see Diarra having the testicular fortitude to repeat Zola and Di Matteo’s act. If he did, I suspect the English contingent, led by JT, might well be chasing the French youngster out of the Cobham gates and all the way down the road.
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