f365 steal: Top 10 Overcapped England Players

[barelylubedcock]

10. Jermain Defoe - 51 Caps
Kicking off with controversy, I suspect. While Defoe's scoring record at international level is perfectly respectable (19 in 53 games), delving a little deeper reveals more. Eleven of the striker's goals came in five games against Andorra (2), Trinidad and Tobago, San Marino and Bulgaria and his one-dimensional nature (hang around the box, hit the ball early) makes a haul of over 50 caps so disappointing.

I can explain it best like so - Defoe will end his career with at least 60 England caps. That this figure is higher than Matt Le Tissier, Robbie Fowler, Stan Collymore, Andy Cole and Les Ferdinand combined is a sad indictment of England's current striking slump.


9. Emile Heskey - 62 Caps
Whilst the guffawing regarding Heskey's meagre talents has verged on bullying in the past, a record of seven goals in 62 matches does merit a degree of questioning.

Heskey was picked by numerous managers because other forwards enjoyed playing alongside him (particularly horse racing's Michael Owen), which is no fault of his own, but ideally there would be little room for a one-dimensional player in the England side. While Heskey is not the cause of England's dearth of striking talent, he is a clear portrayal of the problem over the last decade.


8. Stewart Downing - 34 Caps
Just three months after Brendan Rodgers' arrival at Liverpool (and less than a year after his own £20million move), Downing was criticised by the manager over his lack of fight and desire to prove himself. He was even moved to left-back in several matches, such was his meagre effect in midfield. In seven years, Downing has only provided 32 assists and scored nine league goals, yet he has still generated £30million in transfer fees. And, with regard to this list, he has played 34 times for England. So who's laughing? It damn well isn't me.


7. Shaun Wright-Phillips - 36 Caps
Like Stewart Downing before him, Shaun Wright-Phillips' relatively high cap haul celebrates mediocrity. Simply having pace should not be sufficient to forge a career as an international footballer but, with a crossing accuracy able to frustrate even the most mild-mannered England fan, Wright-Phillips' pace is all we had to enjoy during his 36-cap spell in the national team.

"Oh come one, he plays the game with a smile on his face, you're being harsh", may be your inevitable retort. Well, Wright-Phillips turned down a £70,000-a-week contract at Manchester City in 2010 because he felt under-appreciated - let that float around your mind for a moment. And he has more England caps than Nat Lofthouse and Stan Mortensen. Shame on us.


6. Gareth Barry - 53 Caps
Although Fabio Capello was a big fan of Barry during his four-year reign as England manager, the Manchester City midfielder's absence under Roy Hodgson has barely raised an eyebrow. The defining moment of Barry's England career came in the closing stages of the 4-1 defeat to Germany at World Cup 2010, when Mesut Ozil left the 32-year-old gasping for breath in a race for the ball. Jack Wilshere's performance against Brazil highlighted what England have been missing in midfield, with Barry's no-frills efforts a poor replacement for genuine quality and creativity.


5. Gareth Southgate - 57 Caps
There is no doubt that Southgate was a) a very good defender and b) the recipient of excessive abuse after his Euro 96 penalty miss. However, 57 England appearances over nine years is an awful lot when you consider that it's 57 more than Steve Bruce earned in his career. Bruce and Gary Pallister (who appeared three times in the PFA Team of the Year, while Southgate was never selected) were United's centre-back pairing for three league titles, and yet together they made fewer than half of the England appearances Southgate amassed. Incidentally, how was Southgate still making international appearances in 2004?


4. Dennis Wise - 21 Caps
Twenty-one is clearly an unlucky number for England, with Jermaine Jenas and Matthew Upson more than lucky to escape with that exact number of caps. However, both are trumped by Wise, whose England career was drawn out over nine long and depressing years.

While I have no personal issues with the central-midfield clogger, it is simply scandalous that Wise has played more than 20 times for this beautiful nation of ours. We produced Keats. We produced Shakespeare. We produced Elgar. And then we let Dennis Wise play 21 times for our national team. This is a man who missed 15 matches due to suspension during the 1998/99 season, bit the ear of Mallorca's Marcelino and provoked Fergie to famously claim that Wise "could start a fight in an empty room". Perhaps his England involvement is starting to make sense.


3. Phil Neville - 59 Caps
Whilst Neville should be rightly congratulated for converting himself into a handy defensive midfielder after joining Everton, that still doesn't explain how he managed to gain 59 England caps as an average full-back before 2007.

Since making his debut at just 19 in 1996 (it's amazing to think that he was in the Euro 96 squad) Neville has only ever been first choice for a short period of time - at left-back in 2000 under Kevin Keegan. That run ended when his foul on Viorel Moldovan, which led to a crucial penalty for Romania, effectively knocked England out at the group stage at Euro 2000. Despite that error, he still went on to make another 30 appearances for the national team and was part of the squad at Euro 2004.


2. Wayne Bridge - 36 Caps
Not only is it almost unforgivable that a dreadfully mediocre left-back managed to reach 36 caps whilst never being anything more than second choice, but it's also baffling when you consider that Ashley Cole recently reached triple figures.

How on earth did Bridge rack up so many appearances? Leighton Baines is a far better option than Bridge ever was and yet the Everton full-back has only managed to reach 14 caps while playing during Cole's twilight years.

That Bridge's total dwarfs that of Baines is one of football's most serious issues. He hasn't even played more than 25 Premier League games in a season in nine years, for Hodgson's sake.


1. David Batty - 42 Caps
Batty is such an underwhelming name to have at the top of any footballing list, but he thoroughly deserves this particular award. I had a genuine 'rubbing of eyes' moment when I saw that the former Leeds, Blackburn and Newcastle midfielder had worn the Three Lions shirt on more than 40 occasions, of which 32 were starts.

Batty was a steady performer in the Premier League upon moving to Tyneside, but it seems beyond belief that he played a part of every England game at World Cup 98. Having missed the crucial penalty against Argentina, Batty was then sent off against Poland to mark the end of his international career. He picked up more caps than Jack Charlton. That's just wrong.

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While some of these seem to be that the player kept being picked while past his peak (Southgate for one) and some are in here because they were good tournament choices (Neville, P.) and one appears to be because he's a cunt (Wise), I cannot disagree with other picks, namely midget goalhangers, midget wingers and Wayne Bridge. The comments forget that, for example, Barry had a handful of well-earned caps under Keegan and was in the Euro 200 squad, got back into the squad briefly under Eriksson and then had another 4 years off before slotting in and helping solve (briefly) the whole "you really can't play Lampard and Gerrard together". In a similar sense, David Batty was probably one of the better destructive midfielders of the early-to-mid 90s and deserves more kudos for the following anecdote "Perceived to be a bit lightweight, to build up Batty's strength Bremner would call him into his office every morning to drink sherry with a raw egg stirred into it." Old school.

But it might be fun to discuss and offer other suggestions.

I would go for Vassell (although rightly promptly dropped from sight when Rooney came on the scene), Darren Bent (ugh) and, oh, I dunno, Carlton Palmer (I actually have a video of his best goal ever somewhere).

[Wax Jacket]

Jermaine Jenas immediately springs to mind

Defoe's inclusion there is a joke - I don't know why we mock our own players who get goals against the minnows and yet marvel at the like of the 'ruthless' Klose. Wayne Rooney should be getting those goals instead of Defoe but he can't be arsed in those matches.

Comparing Southgate and Bruce is totally stupid too

[barelylubedcock]

Jermaine Jenas immediately springs to mind

Defoe's inclusion there is a joke - I don't know why we mock our own players who get goals against the minnows and yet marvel at the like of the 'ruthless' Klose. Wayne Rooney should be getting those goals instead of Defoe but he can't be arsed in those matches.

Comparing Southgate and Bruce is totally stupid too

Klose almost 70 goals in 120 odd games
Defoe 19 in 51

I think that's the difference.

Plus Klose's not a midget gobshite cunt.

[Wax Jacket]

Klose wouldn't have got 30 games for England because he's a) not Rooney and b) gets loads of goals against shit teams which always makes us doubt a player's credentials

[6ft Kerplunk]

Michael Ricketts, it may be only one cap but really he's very overcapped.

Joe Cole has to be in there. I really liked him as a player when he was young but 56 caps and I can't remember anything other than that goal against Sweden in '06. One of those talent not fulfilled players.

[Victor Meldrew]

I agree about Downing,Bridge,Defoe and Joe Cole.
I'll add Beckham-a career at international level based on one free -kick (about the 10th direct at goal) v Greece plus Milner,Parker and Barry,all very ordinary midfielders.

[NTRoyal]

You're questioning Beckham's England career? Seriously?

I always thought Batty and Ince were a good midfield pairing, very hard working and committed. Maybe not the most talented as such, but certainly a good pairing at the time.

[croche]

Stephen Gerrard and Wayne Rooney

[Sanguine]

Surprises me that Kieron Dyer has been fit enough to win 33 England caps. To be honest I can't even remember if he was ever good enough to warrant them.

[sandman]

You're questioning Beckham's England career? Seriously?

I always thought Batty and Ince were a good midfield pairing, very hard working and committed. Maybe not the most talented as such, but certainly a good pairing at the time.

Scouser in not liking ex-United player shock.

Stephen Gerrard and Wayne Rooney

Gerrard although a good player has benefitted from Scholes disgraceful treatment by the Swede which led to his early retirement and you could argue that he played too many games with Lampard in your central midfield when one should've been picked over the other. Same with Lampard.

Rooney is overhyped and has never fulfilled his Euro 04 promise but not so sure he's overcapped.

In recent years Scott Parker, Wright-Phillips and Milner immediately spring to mind. There are one cap players like Ricketts, Nugent and Bothroyd who should never be picked for a supposed "top" national team.

[paultheroyal]

Darren Anderton had a few too many!

[handbags_harris]

I'm surprised they haven't mentioned Peter Crouch, not because I think he deserves to be, but because he's regularly been an object of ridicule throughout his career. His goalscoring record speaks volumes at international level though - 42 caps, 22 goals.

[Maguire]

Jermaine Jenas immediately springs to mind

Defoe's inclusion there is a joke - I don't know why we mock our own players who get goals against the minnows and yet marvel at the like of the 'ruthless' Klose. Wayne Rooney should be getting those goals instead of Defoe but he can't be arsed in those matches.

Comparing Southgate and Bruce is totally stupid too

Completely agree on the Defoe thing. Now it's not good enough to score goals, it's about who you score them against? Can't ever remember thinking "Defoe in the team? FML" which I have done about the amazingly average SWP, Jenas, and Downing to name but three players who embody England's lack of depth.

[bobbybottler]

Owen Hargreaves has 42 caps - see comments for Keiron Dyer.

My personal unfavourite on this topic would be Ray Wilkins, his 84 caps compare nicely to Glenn Hoddles haul of 53.

Obvs I've wikied these totals.

[Maguire]

Darius Vassell - briefly a favourite of SGE and amasses - okay that's the wrong word - twenty or thirty caps. He scored a corking goal away to Holland once and wasn't awful but really, overcapped.

[soggy biscuit]

Owen Hargreaves has 42 caps - see comments for Keiron Dyer..

I like how Hargreaves was the target of lots of lols, manager target for lots of criticism for selecting him for quite some time then he had a great game against Portugal and he is the new messiah with everyone all of a sudden looking at each other knowingly and said 'great engine on him'

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

I may be going back a bit, but Mick Mills, 42 caps, them wuz dark days indeed.

More recently, Carlton Palmer and Geoff Thomas - dunno how may caps, but every one was a cap too far.

But for me it's Heskey all the way. Words cannot express...

[barelylubedcock]

Jermaine Jenas immediately springs to mind

Defoe's inclusion there is a joke - I don't know why we mock our own players who get goals against the minnows and yet marvel at the like of the 'ruthless' Klose. Wayne Rooney should be getting those goals instead of Defoe but he can't be arsed in those matches.

Comparing Southgate and Bruce is totally stupid too

Completely agree on the Defoe thing. Now it's not good enough to score goals, it's about who you score them against? Can't ever remember thinking "Defoe in the team? FML" which I have done about the amazingly average SWP, Jenas, and Downing to name but three players who embody England's lack of depth.

I did. Friendly vs Sweden, 2004. He actually came on for Vassell.

[TFF]

Tony Dorigo

Thankfully only 15 caps too many but I can still remember looking at the bench during Italia 90 and knowing, despite all the excitement, that we really weren't going to do it.

[Handsome Man]

You're questioning Beckham's England career? Seriously?

I always thought Batty and Ince were a good midfield pairing, very hard working and committed. Maybe not the most talented as such, but certainly a good pairing at the time.

I hated them. Ince was an appalling player and wouldn't have survived today when passing statistics are compiled: less than 50% would go to his own side. He did have one good spell for England, when he went to Italy and came back playing well for Euro 96. Batty didn't even have that.

Hoddle was sacked for making stupid statements, but he threw away a great chance of doing something in 1998 when he restored the old guard to the young team that had won the Tournoi in 97. If he had been less suspicious of Beckham and Owen and we had played properly in the first round we wouldn't have needed to play Argentina so soon.