Euro 2012 qualifier preview: England v Bulgaria
“Friday I’m in Love” was a hit for English rock band The Cure in 1992. This Friday, the challenge is for England’s footballers to cure their public of their World Cup depression, and make the nation fall back in love with them.
It’ll be a tough task. As England line up for the their first Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria at Wembley, they’ll know that far more than just the eyes of the – still not sold out – national stadium will be on them. This is about making up for the summer’s failings, ensuring supporters that there is still a promising future under the current regime and, in short, regaining the trust of those who once idolised them.
A 2-1 friendly win over Hungary three weeks ago was one thing, but as England prepare for their first kick of a competitive football since June, Bloemfontein, Germany and all that, they still have much to prove, none more so than one member of the squad who wasn’t deemed good enough to be in South Africa.
"I just looked at myself after I was left out of the World Cup squad,” said Theo Walcott. “I didn't want to blame anyone, I had to blame myself and make sure it didn't happen again.”
Judging by his blistering start to the season, it seems to be working, as a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Blackpool was followed by a goal in last week’s win at Blackburn. But far from being just a B-team player, the winger has got his eyes on more consistent performances. “Now I've got to train well and work hard to get in the team,” he continued. “The manager has got faith in me, it's nice to be back in the squad and back with my mates.
“We have a nice balance between young players and experienced players. Only time will tell if we're a very good team - which I believe we are. As long as we get the three points, that's the most important thing. No game is easy at international level though.”
His ability to talk in clichés has been matched by his knack of troubling left backs this season, as the 21-year-old has tore down the Arsenal right flank, adding a hitherto frustratingly absent end product to his game, which he’s always threatened to show ever since a £12.5million move from Southampton in January 2006. The road from expensive teenager to established senior performer is a long one – and many have gone off course along the way – but Walcott is now starting to show that he could be the real deal.
Even if he’s not, perhaps Fabio Capello should keep picking him as a lucky mascot.
Walcott equaled a 99-year-old England record when he started that 2-1 victory over Hungary last month, with The Three Lions winning every single one of the 12 matches that the winger has played for them. Admittedly he had long been off the field when captain Steven Gerrard struck twice late on to turn what was heading for an uncomfortable defeat into a face-saving victory, but it’s a run that Walcott, and surely Capello, will want to extend.
“As players we want to go out there and prove people wrong, show we can do it on the pitch,” he says, without confirming whether those ‘people’ included a manager who overlooked him in the summer.
“We just want to get a win for the fans - they give us tremendous support - it doesn't matter how we do it.”
All of which suggests an evening where style will be sacrificed over substance, and while England will be glad that Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov has retired from the international game, Bulgaria still have plenty of others to worry about in the forms of Premier League mainstays Stiliyan and Martin Petrov, the former Manchester City forward Valeri Bojinov and the 22-year-old Ivelin Popov, who will be determined to show an English audience what he can do after being denied a work permit to join Blackburn Rovers on transfer deadline day.
Walcott and co should be worrying about themselves though, and worry could be the right word ahead of yet another test of their mettle and often brittle confidence.
England always expects, yet after the frustrations, failings and fallout from South Africa, now their expectations are matched by irritations.
The road to redemption, maybe even love, starts here on a Friday night.
Prediction: England 2 Bulgaria 1
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