Even the press are right some of the time

It was widely suggested this time last year that Shaun Wright Phillips might well be making a mistake by moving from Man City to follow the rouble. Although Chelsea were offering SWP a lot of money, it was also pointed out that it would not be a good idea to move to a club where there was very fierce competition for first team places in the season leading up to a World Cup. SWP ignored the advice (partly on the encouragement of his father) and went to Chelsea anyway. Net result, he spends most of the season on the bench and doesn't end up making the last 23 for the World Cup.

But given his father's encouragement of the move in the first place, he has to accept the consequences of that decision. And although Sven's squad selection has surprised some people, SWP not being in the squad wasn't one of those surprises. A quick search of Google News turns up this article from The Sun where dad is quoted as saying ""I was so happy when he joined Chelsea and I still am." But does dad want to face up to that? No, he instead prefers to insinuate that the only reason Owen Hargreaves is in the squad is because he knows something about Sven's family.

I freely admit to not watching much Bundesliga, and I didn't see very much of the match last night, but it does occur to me that a regular for a side who are German champions and who got as far as Chelsea in the Champions League probably has a better claim to a squad place than someone who has spent most of the season warming seats in the Stamford Bridge stands.