The 'Nolan For England' Debate Continues........
Last updated : 07 April 2006 By Adnan Aljilani
No doubt the pre-match jitters of Rooney et al will be somewhat calmed by the luxuries on offer at the five-star Hotel before a showdown with the South Americans in Frankfurt.
Among the customary games of table tennis and darts will be a medical centre, two near by golf courses, an indoor swimming pool and spa.
Of course, we already know that the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard will be rummaging through the hotel's 74 rooms and 16 suites along with England's other football elite.
But what of those still clinging onto a hope of playing in Germany, or perhaps more importantly, those who have prospered in the domestic league who are expected to be edged out of the squad in favour of higher profile stars. Many Wanderers fans will claim that Kevin Nolan falls into the latter category.
Although the Trotters faithful will know that the talent has always been there, Kevin Nolan's ascendance in the plaudits notebook has been meteoric.
This season the Liverpool-born midfielder has so far found the net nine times and has also mustered a number of assists. Some impressive performances on the European stage in the UEFA Cup and mass critical acclaim have added to Nolan's already impressive credentials.
Therefore, there was disappointment among Wanderers fans when the club skipper wasn't picked in the England squad to play Uruguay in the three lions last friendly before the World Cup finals. The 23-year-old, despite saying in the press that club level football is all that is important to him right now, must have been at least a little frustrated. Speculation regarding his legibility to play for the Irish Squad on account of his parents' national heritage escalated in the weeks to come.
Like Nolan, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jermaine Jenas have also played for England under-21s. Yet their inclusion in the senior squad does not appear as justified as it once did when the two are compared to Bolton's attacking maestro.
Shaun Wright-Philips appearances for Chelsea have been few and far between this season. He may have dazzled with the usual explosions of pace when in the frame but this does not compare to the fortunes of Nolan who has performed consistently well for his club.
Jenas has played regularly since joining Spurs, but has not played in or scored in as many games as Kevin Nolan.
But to their credit, Wright-Phillips and Jenas have proved themselves as excellent midfield players in previous seasons for Manchester City and Newcastle United respectively.
Last season, Wright-Phillips enjoyed the kind of accolade Nolan has received throughout this campaign.
Perhaps Sven Goran Eriksson is content with choosing the players and formation he knows best. Wright-Phillips can certainly provide cover for David Beckham and Jenas can appear in the finals if any misfortune were to fall upon the colossal midfield engines of Gerrard and Lampard.
Though a greater misfortune would be if one of England's finest young players were denied a chance to play in the senior national team in the years to come.
