King Con is so Fab!
ENGLAND coach Fabio Capello is today rueing the fact that rising star Connor Wickham was born too late for his World Cup campaign.
Wickham is the toast of England, after scoring the winner for his country in yesterday’s European Under-17 Championship final.
The Ipswich Town teenager scored the winning goal two minutes after half time as England staged a come-from-behind victory to defeat favourites Spain 2-1 in the final in Liechtenstein.
And after seeing his senior side scramble an unimpressive 2-1 success over Japan in their final World Cup build-up match in Austria yesterday, Capello must be wishing that Wickham was a few years older.
Capello’s striking options, Wayne Rooney apart, are a cause for concern ahead of the finals in South Africa.
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Former Ipswich Town striker Darren Bent started yesterday but was withdrawn at half time after failing to grab his chance with England trailing 1-0.
Whether the Sunderland hitman has done enough to board the plane for South Africa remains to be seen, but all will be revealed tomorrow when Capello trims his 30-man squad down to the final 23.
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Capello has asked for DVDs of yesterday’s European Under-17 Championship final to be flown out to him.
And he will not fail to be impressed by Wickham, whose superb winner secured England their first title at this level since 1993 – the year Wickham and most of his team-mates were born.
The Class of 93 clinched the title thanks to Robbie Fowler’s goal that beat Turkey at the City Ground in Nottingham.
That side not only included Liverpool striker Fowler, who was a natural goalscorer like Wickham, but fellow future full internationals Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Sol Campbell.
Wickham’s goal meant that he finished the tournament with eight goals in nine games, including three in the finals in Liechenstein, after bagging a brace as England defeated France 2-1 in the semi-final.
