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Capello is crackers to leave Robbo behind

Friday, May 14, 2010 by Daily Sport .

FABIO CAPELLO’S decision to leave Paul Robinson at home when England travel to the World Cup this summer is simply CRAZY. Robinson has kept a dozen clean sheets in the Premier League for Blackburn this season. That’s no mean achievement – particularly as one of them cost my former club Manchester United the title. I know Robbo is prone to dropping the odd clanger here and there, but not as many as David James or Robert Green.

Let’s just think about this for a minute. Capello expects to win the World Cup with a goalkeeper who has been relegated, a stand-by who has just missed out on returning to the Championship and another with a single cap to his name!

I have nothing against Joe Hart. In fact I would have been upset had the Manchester City man not made the squad after a quite outstanding season on loan at Birmingham. But James and Green? James is 40 in August and is certainly experienced. But he is also getting a bit injury-prone and has managed just three clean sheets during Portsmouth’s slide to the second tier.

And what about Green? Sixty-six goals conceded in 38 appearances for West Ham. That’s going to have the likes of Brazil and Italy quaking in their boots! It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

I know Robinson has been out of the frame for a while and he won the last of his 41 caps in the Euro 2008 qualifying defeat in Russia three years ago. But I can only conclude Robbo has still not been forgiven for his calamity against Croatia in 2006 when he aimed a hoof at Gary Neville’s backpass and missed when the ball hit a divot.

But I’m still siding with Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce on this one. Big Sam had described the decision not to include Robbo as “staggering”. Well, I can only hope Capello will not live to regret leaving him behind because we desperately need a solid, dependable pair of hands if we’re to end 44 years of hurt this summer.

I can’t say it came as a huge shock when I heard Capello tried to lure Paul Scholes out of international retirement. I know that Frank Lampard has a simply awesome scoring record from midfield. But,even though he’s no spring chicken, there’s no better English player in the engine room who can produce a killer pass likes Scholesy can.

I have to say I felt a tinge of sorrow for Scholesy and the rest of the United boys last Sunday. They went into the final match needing to better Chelsea’s result. And, although they brushed aside Stoke 4-0,Carlo Ancelotti’s team hammered rubbish Wigan 8-0. I wouldn’t have minded had Roberto Martinez’s side lost after putting up some sort of resistance. But to crumble like a pub team was just embarrassing.

If I’m being honest, United had no one to blame but themselves. Losing at home to Chelsea and then drawing at Blackburn last month proved their downfall. And anyone who believes that they aren’t a one-man team is living in la-la land because United simply aren’t razor-sharp without Wayne Rooney. That’s why Sir Alex needs a minimum of three top players this summer to win the title back.

I suppose I should be glued to my TV to see if Chelsea, one of my former clubs, beat Portsmouth to clinch the double this weekend. But I just can’t seem to get excited about this season’s FA Cup final. I suspect I’m not the only one.

Hats off to Ian Holloway for getting Blackpool to the play-off final, though. But God help them if they make it to the Premier League. I’m sure away fans will love a day out at the seaside. I’m not so sure the home fans will enjoy seeing their team thumped every game!