Tony Cascarino's Fiver

1. Walcott takes a good kicking
When he got kicked against Andorra, Theo Walcott disappeared. If it becomes known that you can get at him, it’ll keep happening.

2. Capello must lay down law
Fabio Capello was right to rebuke Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole. If they need to sit deep against Andorra, how far back will they go against Croatia? In goal?   

3. Home-grown terrible owners
All this fuss about rich foreign owners, but who’s the worst owner in the Barclays Premier League? Mike Ashley, an Englishman.

4. Fan pressure is helping no one
Fans have too much influence over the hiring of new managers. Boards fear unpopular choices and feel pressure to appease supporters.

5. City spending will hit all clubs
If Manchester City make big signings in January, wages will rise at all clubs. Stars will want new deals if they see lesser players earning more at City.

Comments

Where have you been the last four years Adam??? Of course wages increased when Abramovich took over! There was a huge knock on effect. Wages throughout the Premiership will rise again with the city take-over. Should be interesting.

[Dan, London]

Suprise suprise. Out of all the below par England performances, Cascarino picks out the Arsenal lad making his first international start, who other more qualified sports writers felt played reasonably well.

"Walcott’s first full 90 minutes for England provided one of the undoubted pluses from a victory over Andorra" (Matt Dickinson, Chief Sports Correspondant)

Change the anti-Arsenal record Tony. Its getting a bit boring now...

[Mark]

Walcott wasn't going to risk a broken leg against Andorra probably on Capello's orders. It doesn't mean he has no bottle but an iota of common sense. Why have a go at him, why not criticize players who never even took the Andorrans on at all. Walcott was one of the few pluses of that sorry game.

[phill bluenose]

birmingham are certainly the best club around, forget chelsea an arsenal, manu an city, oh, an the vile from up the road, we are great. keep right on !

[Richard]

Dead on big man Theo has got to get up and run at whomever had just had a go again and again. Dont show your scared, skill which he has in abundance will shine thru. Give him a dvd of jimmy johnstone he got it every week and from experts (thats coming from a bluenose as well)

[dave raynham]

top quality journalism: anti-arsenal, anti-north and anti-england national team.

On the issue of fan influence, the fans have a real and genuine right to a top quality manager as they are the ones who pay the wages and line these board members' pockets. If the manager appointed proves to be of the necessary quality then the fans will be satisfied.

[Sam]

Did Walcott disappear? Personally I think it has more to do with England's constant long balls, no matter who is in charge or who is on the pitch.

But then you like to have a go at Arsenal for some reason so that is probably why you wrote that.

[bernard jones]

shouldn't cascarino be asking why referees dont give walcott protection from the carthorses who regularly discover that the only way to stop him is by bodycheck or trip

[Adam Michie]

Have to disagree with point five. It didnt really happen with Chelsea so why should it happen with Man City. Players know the Man City situation is a freak and couldnt possibly try to extort money out of their own clubs. It wont work like that.