Rickie Lambert called up for England

Many congratulations Rickie.

Top player, top man, now prove Woy wrong and get a brace !!

Very pleased for SRL. Hopefully he gets to play but also that England give him the opportunities with dead ball opprtunities, no pint him playing if you don't play to his strengths. I'm certain that he will be able to handle the step down in quality to play for England against Gordy's Jocks.

Lets hope he shows them what he can do, this will be his only chance if he doesn't shine. He's got to do the business if he stands another look in, so C'mon Ricky, lets batter them Jocks.

I wasn't going to go to the friendly this week-end - short of money and just moved house - but the chance of cheering on Lambert is making me reconsider. Anybody else thinking of changing their mind?

Congratulations Ricky! Well deserved reward and of course, best wishes on the birth of your (and Mrs Lambert's) new daughter. Quite a day to remember.

Spotty dog

how are you dealing with this news?

Huh ? I'm pleased that a Saints player has been recognised, not so pleased that it's taken a pile of injuries for it to happen, but not particularly bothered about international football either way. However, if the team was full of people who wanted to play for England as much as Rickie Lambert probably wants to play for England I suspect the team's results would be a lot better.

I'm so unbelievably happy for Rickie Lambert and his family! This is no less than he deserves and it was fantastic of him to acknowledge the fans in his reaction to the call up.

Wednesday is the first England match I'm looking forward to for a long time..

Brilliant news and about time

Congratulations - chuffed to bits for him.

Wow, just wow.

 

This has actually brought a tear to my eye, something I never thought would happen.

 

Congratulations on both great bits of news to Rickie.

 

Think this could mean an early trip down the pub for the Dubai Saints Massive on Wednesday!

I will be there unless my impending trip to riyadh stops me! Warm up for the seasons kick off warm being the appropriate word!

Huh ? I'm pleased that a Saints player has been recognised, not so pleased that it's taken a pile of injuries for it to happen, but not particularly bothered about international football either way. However, if the team was full of people who wanted to play for England as much as Rickie Lambert probably wants to play for England I suspect the team's results would be a lot better.

Not that well then

After watching his reaction I cannot express enough how chuffed I am. Show the Scots who's boss big Rick!

Yes, seeing those pictures removed any cynical thoughts - it's just a happy day for a nice guy

Not that well then

I don't know where you get that from based on what I've said.

I wasn't going to go to the friendly this week-end - short of money and just moved house - but the chance of cheering on Lambert is making me reconsider. Anybody else thinking of changing their mind?

Already have! Will be sat in the family bit with my two boys, proudly wearing our Saints shirts.

Didn't realise his Mrs gave birth this morning as well, what a day for him!!

Fantastic

Congratulations to Ricky on both pieces of very good news today.

Is he the oldest uncapped player to have been called up by England?

Chris Powell of Charlton was getting on a bit when he made his debut........

Just popped online after spending the day getting sunburned with the family in Devon. What news! Who gives a flying feck who had to be injured for him to get a look in? I bet the man himself doesn't. Totally chuffed to bits for an absolute Saints legend. Hope he gets a decent amount of time to do himself justice.

Well done Rickie on both bits of great news.

What alot of people are forgetting (or just didn't know), is that Rickie WAS injured and playing through the pain in the run in last season. I called it long before Rickie mentioned it at the end of the season.

People moaned about form, but that is mainly because of his injury effecting his game....let's be honest he is not the most mobile even when fit!

I am assuming a foot injury as he had an issue with jumping, but I do not know exactly what the injury was....anyone know???

It's a great story, there aren't too many fairy tale's in football nowadays but this is one.

I'm sure Woy is just picking him cause Carroll's injured, but if he can get some good training sessions under his belt, Woy maybe surprised how good and tactically clever he is. Do that and he may get a run out weds. Play with heart, passion and maybe knock one in,and he'll win over the fans. That'll make it easier for Woy to pick him again. I get the feeling Woy wants a big man option up top, Carroll's in the box seat, solely cause of his age, but Rickie's in with a sniff.

If he has a great season and ends up in a world cup squad in brazil, wow that'll be a story even hans christian Anderson couldn't have written.

Chris Powell of Charlton was getting on a bit when he made his debut........

Kevin Richardson was born 4th of December 1962, and got his only cap against Greece on the 17th of May 1994... As far as I can gather, both he and Powell were 31 years and 5 months old when they won their first cap - Rickie is 31 years and 6 months

Great news for you today Rickie, new babe and a call up for your country!

Many Congratulations.

Alan

I am assuming a foot injury as he had an issue with jumping, but I do not know exactly what the injury was....anyone know???

He has been fighting a hip injury at the latter end of every season ever since the League 1 promotion campaign. Attempting to carry it and compensate for it this season has also caused some back injuries.

He isn't alone at the club or within football in general in terms of players who have to nurse recurring injuries at the end of long seasons. Fox and Lallana with their groins for example spring to mind.

Well Done Rickie, huge congratulations!!

obviously, it is

Really? I saw it as two Saints players getting a deserved call up, but with different reactions from the same fans. Obviously from Plymouth, a submarine or your bat cave you see it differently.

Walking round with a smile on my face all day.

 

When i explain to people why, they don't get it.

 

****s.

+1.

Top man that SRL. Not only a good footballer but a good human being. I often wonder just how far he could have progressed if he had pace in his bag of tricks as well.

Well happy for his call up. People may say that he is not the future for England, and they would be correct, but if anyone deserves a call on current form then he does. Shame Hodgson put a dampner on it by saying the fact that Caroll wasn't available etc.

Now Caroll was probably the worst striker I have seen in ages last season, falling over at the slightest of touches, but getting away with awfull tackles/fouls himself.

No doubt Rickie will be given (i hope) a token 30 mins, and will be discarded forever if he does nothing during that period. However a Rooney or Wellbeck can do exactly the same in countless matches but will always be picked for future squads, I wonder why?

Rickie could score a hatfull, but don't expect him to be included in future squads, or am I still hung up on Le Tiss's treatment when playing for the B squad!

Top man that SRL. Not only a good footballer but a good human being. I often wonder just how far he could have progressed if he had pace in his bag of tricks as well.

Having not watched much L1/L2 until we found ourselves down there I wonder whether he ever had any in his first 10 years as a footballer or if his success just came too late for him to be the total package. Because let's face it, if he was 5 years younger, quick, could dribble past players and had the reactions to get to balls in the box on top of what he does have, we wouldn't be talking about spending £20m on a striker.

No doubt Rickie will be given (i hope) a token 30 mins, and will be discarded forever if he does nothing during that period. However a Rooney or Wellbeck can do exactly the same in countless matches but will always be picked for future squads, I wonder why?

Rickie could score a hatfull, but don't expect him to be included in future squads, or am I still hung up on Le Tiss's treatment when playing for the B squad!

I'd say this is exactly what will happen. Hodgson will only include him if Carroll isn't available, and he'll have to score or play a blinder in limited opportunities just to get another look.

Will be the first non saints game ive cared about in a long while!

q

Didnt have a favourite player for time before srl

Scared they would be sold!

no player deserves this call up to England more than rickie

he may not be in the class of rooney or carrol,personaly I think he is better than carrol

for his performances last season he should have been called up earlier

still same old England,choose those at the bigger clubs and ignore the players at the unfashionable clubs that will give more than most of the so called stars in the England set up

hope he gets on and scores against the jocks

good luck srl and congrats on the birth of your daughter

Really pleased for him.

Fantastic news to wake up to this morning. I'm sure Rickie will savour this day for the rest of his life, no matter what happens from here on in. The birth of his 3rd and an England call-up on the same day.

Shame Hodgson had to bring up the subject of Carroll as part of his reasoning. If Hodgson thinks Carroll is a better solution for Brazil he is deluded. The refs will be nowhere near as lenient on him as they are over here and all he will do is give away stupid fouls and get himself booked (just like Crouch seemed to do when he came up against the top teams. Seriously, though - what exactly does Carroll bring to the England team that Lambert doesn't? It's fair to say, neither have pace (but neither did Sheringham, Hurst, Charlton in the past). Yes the game is quicker now, but it's speed of thought that is more important, and there are other players in the squad who we can utilise for pace. we don't want to be too one-dimensional. Plus Lambert has the dead-ball advantage if required.

Someone else mentioned it before, but you can't always pick players for the future - sometimes you have to pick them for the present, and in this world cup year, I think Lambert has timed his run perfectly.

Its like being torn between 2 lovers. Please stop at 3 Rickie

Really? I saw it as two Saints players getting a deserved call up, but with different reactions from the same fans. Obviously from Plymouth, a submarine or your bat cave you see it differently.

Lallana was a call up after a sways was named and people kept dropping out. Lallana was never going to play

Different case this time

Fantastic news to wake up to this morning. I'm sure Rickie will savour this day for the rest of his life, no matter what happens from here on in. The birth of his 3rd and an England call-up on the same day.

Shame Hodgson had to bring up the subject of Carroll as part of his reasoning. If Hodgson thinks Carroll is a better solution for Brazil he is deluded. The refs will be nowhere near as lenient on him as they are over here and all he will do is give away stupid fouls and get himself booked (just like Crouch seemed to do when he came up against the top teams. Seriously, though - what exactly does Carroll bring to the England team that Lambert doesn't? It's fair to say, neither have pace (but neither did Sheringham, Hurst, Charlton in the past). Yes the game is quicker now, but it's speed of thought that is more important, and there are other players in the squad who we can utilise for pace. we don't want to be too one-dimensional. Plus Lambert has the dead-ball advantage if required.

Someone else mentioned it before, but you can't always pick players for the future - sometimes you have to pick them for the present, and in this world cup year, I think Lambert has timed his run perfectly.

Absolutely spot on

Kevin Richardson was born 4th of December 1962, and got his only cap against Greece on the 17th of May 1994... As far as I can gather, both he and Powell were 31 years and 5 months old when they won their first cap - Rickie is 31 years and 6 months

Kevin Davies was 33. hth

Rickie Lambert executed more key passes last season (75) than Barcelona duo Lionel Messi and Xavi combined (68).

: Rickie Lambert created more chances (80) last season than Edinson Cavani, Gonzalo Higuain & Mario Mandzukic combined (71).

Absolutely chuffed for him, hope he gets more than a quick cameo and gets to show what he can do.

Hedgehog Rickie could score a hatfull, but don't expect him to be included in future squads, or am I still hung up on Le Tiss's treatment when playing for the B squad!

Spot on the very reason I stopped supporting England . I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking that way .

It might only be a friendly but it is a massive game giving the history between the English and the scots

Hedgehog Rickie could score a hatfull, but don't expect him to be included in future squads, or am I still hung up on Le Tiss's treatment when playing for the B squad!

 

Spot on the very reason I stopped supporting England . I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking that way .

 

It might only be a friendly but it is a massive game giving the history between the English and the scots

I'm the same with le tiss treatment. Was the worst thing england ever did leave potentially the best ever English player out IMO. Lambert deserves it.

Wonderful news, fully deserved and about-time-too.

And yet our press are saying this is 'a surprise' call up. Look at things from the other end of the telescope and the story should read...

Ricky Lambert, England's top-scoring Premier League striker (who scored against Champions League teams Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea) has been selected for the England squad.

The press ought to be coming up with articles asking why on earth it has taken so long.

Fantastic news to wake up to this morning. I'm sure Rickie will savour this day for the rest of his life, no matter what happens from here on in. The birth of his 3rd and an England call-up on the same day.

Shame Hodgson had to bring up the subject of Carroll as part of his reasoning. If Hodgson thinks Carroll is a better solution for Brazil he is deluded. The refs will be nowhere near as lenient on him as they are over here and all he will do is give away stupid fouls and get himself booked (just like Crouch seemed to do when he came up against the top teams. Seriously, though - what exactly does Carroll bring to the England team that Lambert doesn't? It's fair to say, neither have pace (but neither did Sheringham, Hurst, Charlton in the past). Yes the game is quicker now, but it's speed of thought that is more important, and there are other players in the squad who we can utilise for pace. we don't want to be too one-dimensional. Plus Lambert has the dead-ball advantage if required.

Someone else mentioned it before, but you can't always pick players for the future - sometimes you have to pick them for the present, and in this world cup year, I think Lambert has timed his run perfectly.

Hodgson is deluded, his interview with SSN proved that. It's almost as if he doesn't pay any attention to anything outside the top 7. Italy's recent squad for the Confederation Cup included multiple players whose clubs finished 11th, 13th, and 16th (not including goalkeepers). We complain about a lack of English players but don't seem to give those we do have a chance.

Lamberts's the same age as Defoe. Deserves his chance. It's up to him now to take it. How Hodgson believes Carroll is a better option there is beyond belief.

Can somebody also explain what Raheem Sterling and Wilfred Zaha have done in their careers to date to deserve an England call up?

Sterling is an odd one. Barely played in the back end of the season for Liverpool, and we have plenty of other players who can play that position, Welbeck, theo, chambo, young (dare I say Milner?)

I have nothing wrong with Hodgson just picking players who are playing regularly, but it ****es me off when he picks man city/Utd/Chelsea/Liverpool reserves over players who have been first choice.

Hell, it may stop players like Scott Sinclair moving to the top clubs so early in their career.

Easiest article I've ever written for the pink...

"I’ve long suggest that big money has ruined England’s national game. The advent of Sky has produced a slew of feckless multi-millionaires who seem more interested in appearing MTV cribs than Match Of The Day. I once wrote “Rickie Lambert, your country needs you” and it’s never been more apt than now. Your country needs the lad from League One to have the game of his lifetime to inspire a raft of players who feel their chance has long gone. It needs you to provide the closing scene in “Goal Machine!” the movie in which a young Sean Bean rams home the winning goal against the auld enemy… Fade to black, cue credits…"

Fantastic news! Most deserved England cap.

Give it a couple of years and JRod, lallana (once fully recovered from injury) shaw, clyne and cork will be in there too.

This time will come!

Up the Saints!!

By The Way Mr Lambert does not read this Forum - 'FACT'

Fantastic news and really well deserved - and I had full hospitality in one of the best suites at wembley lined up - sadly I have to go to hot n sweaty houston on business instead

Tickets for Rickie's England debut have been purchased. Good luck SRL!