International Retirement

[ecfc70]

I see that Frank Lampard has decided to call it a day with England, this after Steven Gerrard did the same earlier in the summer and with many thanks from the football supporting nation

It does ask the question though.......should footballers retire or even be allowed to retire from international football?

Surely if you are still considered good enough, questionably or not (John Terry?) then you should still be eligible for selection
In my mind, maybe I'm a bit of an old romantic on it, but a player shouldn't have the option of retiring himself out of the national side, but then again if England had a good youth system then the older generation arguably wouldn't even get selected

thoughts please?

 

[Grecian O'Grecian]

Well, I don't think it would be healthy to force someone to play international football. If they no longer want to feature then they shouldn't have to IMO. For what it's worth I think Lampard and Gerrard have both picked the right time to call it a day.

 

[LOG]

I always smile when players who aren't even getting a sniff announce their international retirement.

 

[Avening Posse]

Agree with GOG, making players play who don't want to cannot be part of a winning formula. My personal view is the media for at least since the days of Sir Bobby Robson make playing for the national team a stressful chore rather than an aspirational and enjoyable experience for players, so fair play to those 2 for sticking at it for as long as they did..

 

[CREDYGRECIAN]

Anyone who gets over 100 caps at international deserves massive respect.

Gerrard and Lampard have been 2 of the best players in premier league history , sadly it never quite worked for England like it has for there club sides in both premier league and European competitions.

 

[motorservices]

Agree with GOG, making players play who don't want to cannot be part of a winning formula.

Has England ever had a winning formula

 

[Jason H]

I still think one of the biggest mistakes England (well, The Sun and its devoted followers who pick the England team) made was to dump Scholes for Lampard. Scholes was inifinitely better.

 

[Antony Moxey]

thoughts please?

That it's a daft idea. You cannot force someone to play for their national side if the national side isn't the one who pays their wages. If you had central contracts like in cricket and (I think) rugby then that'd be different.

LOG is of course correct when he says that players usually retire when they're no longer considered good enough.

 

[Jason H]

LOG is of course correct when he says that players usually retire when they're no longer considered good enough.

It is with regret that I must announce I'm no longer available for international selection.

 

[Grecian_Jay]

I still think one of the biggest mistakes England (well, The Sun and its devoted followers who pick the England team) made was to dump Scholes for Lampard. Scholes was inifinitely better.

Spot on. Gerrard, Scholes and a holding midfielder in a 3 would have been perfect.