Nile Ranger narrowly avoids FA ban

Posted on February 12th, 2011 | 3 Comments |

Nile Ranger of Newcastle United
FA nearly banned him
Newcastle United’s Nile Ranger narrowly avoids an FA ban thanks – allegedly – to Manchester United.

It seems that Nile Ranger was nearly banned from today’s game by the FA. This is all due to the fact that he was ‘injured’ for the midweek international friendly but did not get assessed by an England team medic.

Fortunately for Nile Ranger, Manchester United’s Chris Smalling also missed the game in similar circumstances and when an organisation feels like flexing its muscles it obviously doesn’t want to do so towards Sir Alex Ferguson and the mighty Man U.

It’s a bit like the punchy chap in the pub at last orders. Even in a drunken state the chap thinks twice about being punchy with the 6ft 5in 25 stone yeti with hands like JCB buckets. He is in fact rather inclined to ‘let him off’.

Credit where it’s due, I picked up on this story thanks to a comment referring me to FootballFanCast article by Joe Austin, which does a good job of summing up the situation.

The question to ponder, though, is what do we do about international friendlies?

Ignore the FA’s apparent dual rules when it comes to the top 4 clubs for a moment. I’m pretty sure that few if any of the 24 players who pulled out of international friendlies this week were actually injured, but are clubs right to prevent these players for turning up to international friendlies?

Should international managers have the FA’s backing to force players to play?

If not, how will England ever get a chance to practice and improve as an international side?

It does raise some questions that go beyond any apparent ‘favouritism’ the FA might have for the top 4 clubs. Not that I’m suggesting they do of course, particularly if they’re lawyered up.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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3 Responses

  1. Fank thuck for manusa & the fact that they woulda been getting a banned player too, so the fa decided against it this time.
    Shadow them ***** & we should never get a problem with the fa again.

    How sad is that?

    Biased cheats.

  2. Capello should just send his squad crib/tab sheets before england games so they all know the chops in advance.

    Or

    Capello should send a game plan to the players before england games so they know the strategy up front.

    ;)