Carragher to Quit England
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Jamie Carragher is ready to quit the England team after being left out of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia last month.
The Liverpool centre-half, who played in four of England's five games at the World Cup last year, has made just five appearances under Steve McClaren.
He has never started in his favoured position in a back four, even when John Terry and Rio Ferdinand have been injured, despite winning rave reviews as he helped his club to a second Champions League final appearance in three years.
His likely decision to retire from international football, which mirrors Paul Scholes' self-imposed England exile,was brought to a head when he was left out of the side who defeated Estonia 3-0 in Tallinn.
A source close to the 29-year-old said last night: "Jamie does not want to sound like a big-time Charlie. He just feels that at this stage of his career it would be better if he concentrated his efforts on helping Liverpool become the No 1 team in England again.
"He has always regarded it as a tremendous honour to represent his country and he has happy memories of pulling on the shirt. But things have to end some time and he thinks this might be a good time to bow out."
Against Estonia, the euphoria surrounding David Beckham's England return overshadowed Carragher's huge disappointment at being dropped to the bench.
He had accepted the fact he was behind the likes of Terry, Ferdinand and Jonathan Woodgate in the central defensive pecking order but, in a match when both Ferdinand and Woodgate were unavailable, McClaren's preference for the injuryprone Ledley King came as a bitter personal blow.
The situation was made worse when the England manager picked Wes Brown at right-back, a role Carragher has filled in the absence through injury of Gary Neville.
McClaren, having failed to talk Scholes into returning to the international scene, has not given up on persuading Carragher to reverse his decision and has been in constant touch with him. He will seek to meet the player on his return, before he names the squad for the friendly against Germany on August 22 at Wembley.
Carragher has collected 34 England caps since he made his debut as a substitute against Hungary in April 1999, ironically in the game that also signalled Brown's nternational arrival. In that time, the Anfield favourite has earned a reputation for being a wholehearted player who rarely let the side down, despite being asked to play all across the back four.
Eriksson once tried him as a holding midfield player, but McClaren has used him at right-back, left-back and as one of three centre-halves in a 3-5-2 formation, as well as, briefly, in his favoured position.
Carragher won 27 caps during Eriksson's reign, but his appearances have been restricted to just three starts since McClaren took over. -
too bad mcClown you lost someone good
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Never be at anywhere in which the people do not know how to appreciate you.
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Frankly i think he's a better defender than Ferdinand.
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any defender is better then Ferdinand
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Originally posted by WiNtEr'SkiLL:any defender is better then Ferdinand got so jia lat meh.
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ferdinand...sometimes on form sometimes off form...and i mean REALLY OFF FORM...carra is one of the few elites in england...mr mc is in big trouble...Originally posted by omgukilledkenny: got so jia lat meh. -
Mac is forever pushing off those are good, and who also can PERFORM. Trying to dissuade Carragher now? Then why treat him like that in the first place?
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not much diff as england cant win anything anyway.
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There is no doubt Carragher is good but he's not good enough to replace Terry and Ferdinand
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You are not reading the article properly.Originally posted by glacer:There is no doubt Carragher is good but he's not good enough to replace Terry and Ferdinand -
severely underused..
but he only 29 rite?!? so earli retire from england ahh??
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He sian liao mah. Underused, underrated and then treated like garbage by Mac...Originally posted by ErikaChioBu:severely underused..
but he only 29 rite?!? so earli retire from england ahh?? -
Scholes also retired at that age. Look what happened to his club form.Originally posted by ErikaChioBu:severely underused..
but he only 29 rite?!? so earli retire from england ahh?? 
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Carragher is good. But up against Ferdinand and Terry he really have no complaints.
But to be behind woodgate and ledley king is abit sad.
Scholes actually retired older around his 30s I think. The sven die die want lampard and gerrard and now England is abit the regret. -
yeah, behind woodgate and ledley king is kinda of an insult.
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Understandable.
Because he does his job well silently, nobody notices him, unlike Ferdinand and Terry, who will something do some spectacular thing to remain noticed by people. -
. Aiya, England cant win anything anyway.
Cheers.
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Jamie explains England decision
England and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has explained why he believes the time is right for him to quit international football.
The defender has grown so tired of his bit-part role as a utility player that he has told Steve McClaren he no longer wants to be considered for England duty.
Carragher has agreed to delay his final decision after discussing the situation with McClaren, but insists he wants to focus on his club career after failing to nail down a regular place in the England team.
Carragher cannot break the Ferdinand-Terry partnership in central defence and has been reduced to filling in at full-back.
He has now decided to stand aside - apart from in emergencies - and concentrate on ending his career with Liverpool.
"There are a number of reasons why I've been thinking about this," said Carragher in the Liverpool Echo.
"I first thought about it after the World Cup because I wondered how many chances I'd get for England at centre half.
"Then when Sol Campbell was out of the picture I thought I could put pressure on Rio Ferdinand for the other centre half position alongside John Terry.
"Given my form for Liverpool, I genuinely thought that was possible, but over the last 12 months players like Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King have played there ahead of me.
"I can't really argue with that because they're top drawer players. It's not as if they're Mickey Mouse defenders.
"Even in the last two games against Brazil and Estonia, England conceded just one goal, so people can argue the manager got his decision spot on.
"It's just that from a purely personal point of view, it's been disappointing because after some of my performances for Liverpool I thought I deserved a chance.
"I hoped I could come in, play out of my skin and do well enough to keep my place, not just for one game or two, but cement it.
"It was particularly disappointing for me when Rio was out against Estonia and I wasn't picked.
"I thought I'd had a good season for Liverpool, especially helping us get to the Champions League final.
"Like any player I thought I deserved to play, but not doing so made the situation crystal clear to me.
"Everyone can see England are very strong in the central defensive department at the moment. There are a lot of world class players there and most of them are younger than me, have their best years ahead and will get better and better.
"I'm 29 now, and I have to accept if I'm not a regular starter now, I don't think I ever will be.
"It's going to be difficult for me to be seen as anything more than a squad player, and at this stage of my career that's not what I'm interested in.
"Playing the odd game here and there isn't enough. Four or five years ago I was happy to have that role, but not now."
He added: "If it's an absolute emergency - and by that I mean if all available centre halves are out injured or there are suspensions - I probably won't say no if I'm asked.
"I'm not doing this to leave England in the lurch.
"The reason I'm delaying a final decision is because I didn't want people to think I have a bad attitude or I'm turning my back on the country at a bad time."