A spirited young central defender whose early career was galvanised by the prompting of manager Bobby Robson, Russell Osman was given a thoroughly deserved opportunity for his country by Ron Greenwood in the final warm-up game against Australia prior to the 1980 European Championships. Osman and club defensive partner Terry Butcher pitched up together - something to make the Ipswich scouting system very proud - but expectedly neither made Greenwood's squad for the finals in Italy. Osman then played his part in an exciting and unpredictable period for England, as Greenwood had a number of competent and reliable young defenders at his disposal as he shaped up England's qualifying campaign for the 1982 World Cup.
Osman and Butcher were joined by Brighton captain Steve Foster and West Ham's Alvin Martin, as well as the established Phil Thompson and the veteran Dave Watson. Russell won his second cap in a 2-1 friendly defeat against Spain before helping England keep a clean sheet in a goalless qualifier against Romania at Wembley. Sadly for Osman, his next two appearances in the qualification campaign were 2-1 defeats away from home - hardly against world beaters in the shape of Switzerland and Norway - and, with injuries further hindering his cause, he only won one more cap before Greenwood announced his final squad for the tournament.
Butcher and Thompson, the established duo, were to be joined by Foster, and Osman missed out. Luck seemed to change for Russell afterwards as his club manager and biggest fan Bobby Robson became the new coach after the World Cup, but it was his other protg, Butcher, who gained the most from his appointment. Osman played in two qualifiers for the 1984 European Championships - a 2-2 draw in Denmark and then a 1-0 Wembley reversal against the same opposition - either side of appearances in all three tour matches in Australia during the summer of 1983. The Denmark defeat ruined England's qualification hopes and Robson angrily ripped up his squad plans and started again. Osman was one of the victims, and his England career ended there and then, his eleven caps seeing him on the winning side on just two occasions. (Matthew Rudd) |