Big names may not be in Euro 96
By Vic Mills
LONDON (JP): With Euro 96 fast approaching, one of the main points centers upon those who, for reasons as diverse as injury, dispute, lack of form or old age, will not be on view.
Out of the England lineup have gone Rob Jones, Stan Collymore and Mark Wright through injury, while seasoned international Peter Beardsley has made way for youthful Nick Barmby.
The biggest bombshell, however, occurred just a few miles across the English Channel with the non-selection by the French of the English Footballer of the Year, Eric Cantona. The player that most club managers would have in their side has failed to find favor with French coach Aime Jacquet.
Nor is Cantona the only famous absentee. His old striking partner, Jean-Pierre Papin of Bayern Munich, and his sparring partner David Ginola, are also left out.
The decision by Jacquet not to disrupt the formula that has brought his young team qualification during a 21-game run is brave.
A failure in the championship now would bring widespread criticism. Indeed, a survey by French sports newspaper L'Equipe showed that 83 percent of supporters were in favor of Cantona's recall after his impressive return to the game following an eight-month ban.
Other famous names set to be conspicuous by their absence include Roberto Baggio, Gianluca Vialli and Lothar Matthaeus. All have been ignored and left to ponder the barely-between-the-lines messages that their international careers may be over.
A regular in AC Milan's championship winning side, it is something of a fall from grace for Baggio who, two years ago, was voted one of the best players in the World Cup.
The case of Vialli is slightly different, in that he announced last year that he would not play for Italy again while Arrigo Sacchi remained coach. Despite leading Juventus to the Champions Cup victory last week, it is doubtful, at the age of 31 and having just signed a three-year deal with London club Chelsea, that balding Vialli will again wear the Azzuri.
Former German captain, Matthaeus has paid for his age, 35, his struggles to overcome Achilles tendon problems and recent disputes with several other players and German coach Berti Vogts.
Vogts has based his squad on the country's leading clubs, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Thirteen of the 22 chosen come from Borussia and Bayern -- perhaps 14, for Werder Bremen's Mario Basler is set to join Munich.
There is no place in the Spanish side for Raul or Hugo de la Pena, the teenagers who have shone for their clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Coach Javier Clemente has opted for experience.
Not easy
Not that life is easier for the those selected. Take the case of England striker Alan Shearer.
With 30 Premiership goals in each of the last three seasons, Shearer would have been the first name on an England team sheet. Yet a surprising inability to find the net on national duty has made the multimillion pound Blackburn striker an increasingly forlorn figure.
His international drought now extends to a staggering 939 minutes of goal-less frustration. A blank afternoon in Beijing during England's 3-0 friendly win over China made it 21 months and 12 internationals since he last scored. No other top striker comes into the European Championships with such a dismal record.
Not even 45 minutes against a modest Hong Kong Select XI on Sunday would ease the misery as England stumbled to a 1-0 win with a first-half goal from Newcastle's Les Ferdinand.
The system that English manager Terry Venables has developed makes the front man more of a provider than a goal scorer, but the message that one does not preclude the other does not appear to have been fully grasped by the willing Shearer.
A worrying time then for the host nation and one that England and Shearer will take into the opening game at Wembley on June 8 against Switzerland.