| England coaches are always implored to call up the players in form, especially when it comes to strikers who are scoring goals for fun, so there were no complaints when Sven Goran Eriksson noticed the amazing goal tally of Bolton's Michael Ricketts over two spectacular seasons and pitched him into a friendly in Holland (the photo above is during the game), four months before the 2002 World Cup was to begin. Ricketts - Bolton's first England player for 40 years - looked scared, off the pace and idealess during his time on the park, and was replaced by Kevin Phillips and never came back. Another debutant up front, Darius Vassell, scored England's goal. His international career blossomed as he reached the next two tournaments under Eriksson, whereas Ricketts moved to Middlesbrough and saw his standing in the game sink very quickly. (Matthew Rudd) |