England The Next Step For Woodgate

By Betting Zone
October 12 2006

Jonathan Woodgate's return to his Teesside roots could scarcely have been more successful, to the extent that his exclusion from the latest England squad probably classes as a disappointment for the player.

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Six months ago the 26-year-old would have been happy to be playing competitive football in any circumstances, let alone for England, as a series of injuries kept him sidelined at Real Madrid.

He made only 14 appearances in two seasons in the Spanish capital, and at times it seemed doubtful whether he would ever return to playing regularly at the top level.

However, the loan move home to Middlesbrough has so far been a huge success for player and club, with centre-back Woodgate back to his imperious best and putting in the sort of performances which earned him a first England cap as a 19-year-old under Kevin Keegan.

The Real Madrid player accepted his home-town club's offer of a season on loan back in August after being told by manager Fabio Capello that he could leave temporarily to prove his fitness.

Boro hope to persuade Woodgate he should make a more permanent split with the Spanish aristocrats. For his part, the former Leeds star is determined to show Capello he has a future in Madrid, and that can only be good news for both the Teessiders and England.

Four games into his Boro career, the prodigal son is proving a major hit.

Woodgate was handed a debut against Arsenal, and turned in a stunning individual display as his side claimed an unlikely 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium, and he has been largely faultless ever since.

Handed the skipper's armband in the absence of the injured George Boateng, he has quickly re-established himself in the domestic game, and Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder must be looking on wondering what might have been having decided not to take him back to St James' Park because of his injury record.

Roeder's caution, of course, may yet prove well-founded with Woodgate's fitness concerns over the last three years having severely limited him.

But the player is confident his troubles - both on and off the field - are behind him.

He said recently: "If you ask any footballer, there is nothing worse than when they are injured, especially in a foreign country.

"But every day, you have got to keep on smiling when you go into training, do not let people see you are down, and you have got to try to adapt to the culture as quickly as possible.

"Hopefully the injuries are all behind me now. I am not one to dwell on the past.

"I always look forward and I never really think about it at all.

"I am paid to play football and I want to play football as much as I can.

"Obviously, in the last two years, I have not been able to do that, but hopefully this year I can progress and keep on learning from the manager, who has been a great centre-half himself."

Woodgate has matured as a man as well as a player during the years since he found himself caught up in a lengthy court case during his time at Leeds.

There are elements of his past he regrets, but again, the future is his only focus.

He said: "I have made mistakes in my life, but I am 26 years old now and hopefully I have learnt lessons.

"I just want to play football more than anything."

Woodgate's arrival at the Riverside Stadium effectively saw Southgate replace himself on the field with a man whose quality he had seen at first hand some time before.

The 36-year-old played alongside the then Leeds player when he made his senior international debut as a 19-year-old in a European Championship qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia in June 1999, and has been impressed with his development since.

Southgate said: "He has matured enormously since the last time I worked with him.

"I just think you can sense he feels he has a point to prove. He feels he wants to show everybody outside he can play.

"Everybody knows what a good player he is, but he wants to get back to playing at a level where he is considered an automatic selection for the England squad.

"There is no question in my mind that he can do that."

Woodgate's injuries have meant he has collected only four more caps since that initial outing in Bulgaria, and while the clamour for his return is likely to increase in volume, especially on Teesside, should he continue in his rich vein of form, Southgate will not push for an early inclusion.

He said: "We feel there is no question that he could go in there and play at that level, it is just making sure his fitness and his progression are at the right rate."

Whether or not he has reached that point by the time McClaren names his squad for the friendly clash with Holland next month remains to be seen.

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By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.

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