The influx of overseas players has pushed them further out of sight.Thus if Nick Barmby, Gavin McCann, Chris Powell, or any of the other Englishmen selected by Eriksson for his first match in February 2001, but long since discarded, hailed from Northern Ireland it is reasonable to assume they would still be playing international football.Instead, Barmby’s Hull City team-mate, Stuart Elliott, is likely to play as will Southampton reserve Chris Baird and Plymouth’s Tony Capaldi. Sanchez spends most of his working life at the various outposts of the Championship and lower leagues. With a population base of 1.5m Northern Irish players have always been thin on the ground in England’s top flight. As his counterpart, Lawrie Sanchez, said last night: “It doesn’t matter who plays for England, they still have Premiership players doubling up in every position.”
In four years in the post Eriksson has never seen a Football League match (and whatever Andrew Johnson was told he is not likely to start now). Sven Goran Eriksson may inwardly moan, when he arrives at Highbury, Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge on a match-day, at the number of ineligible foreign players on view, but his problem is still more who to leave out than who to select. If Sven Goran Eriksson has Becks on his side at Windsor Park, Lawrie Sanchez has Posh, or rather, he has their centre-forward Step forward James Quinn.
On Saturday he will be leading the Peterborough United attack against Grimsby Town, tonight he is expected to be up against Rio Ferdinand, a man who could personally buy the Northern Ireland side from his £5m-a-year wages and still have change for another Ferrari
Such is the mis-match at Windsor Park tonight. There’s never an easy game against them, but we’re confident. And if we can get the win, you never know.”NORWAY (4-2-3-1; probable): Myhre (Charlton); Solli (Rosenborg), Lundekvam (Southampton), Riseth (Rosenborg), Bergdolmo (FC Copenhagen); Andresen (Bran Bergen), Grindheim (Valerenga); Valencia (Start), Iversen (Valerenga), Riise (Liverpool); Carew (Lyon).SCOTLAND (3-5-1-1; probable): Gordon (Hearts); Weir (Everton), Pressley, Webster (both Hearts); Alexander (Preston), Fletcher (Manchester United), Ferguson (Rangers), Quashie (Southampton), McNamara (Wolves); Hartley (Hearts); K Miller (Wolves).Referee: A Hamer (Luxembourg).. Jones has bowled very well this series and you need to replace him with another bowler.
Egil Ostenstad, top scorer in Norway after stints in England and Scotland, stands by. John Arne Riise returns after a ban.Ferguson predicts an unchanged Norway in one sense. “They’re always big, physical and hard to break down,” he said. “We saw the video of the game in Slovenia, and it was still all long balls from the back to [John] Carew up front. Aage Hareide, the former Manchester City player, has lost three first-choices to suspension, while Steffen Iversen, once of Tottenham, is doubtful with a back strain. “We have to find ways of getting them into other [forward] areas.”While Smith seeks to balance durability and creativity, his Norwegian counterpart has been counting the cost of the 3-2 win in Slovenia. Smith, keen to maintain the central unit that performed so creditably against Italy, will allow him a late fitness test.
He may switch to the 3-5-2 formation he deployed in last month’s draw in the friendly in Austria and forego an obvious holding midfielder. “We’ve got excellent players in the middle of the park,” reflected the former Everton and Rangers manager. Simple as that,” said the Rangers midfielder, proceeding to explain why a team that lost to Norway at home had become revitalised by Walter Smith’s appointment as manager. “Before, we would maybe go away and try to get a draw, but Walter wants to win these games.”Smith’s tactical acumen, and the buoyant mood he has generated, have made his Scotland side resemble the improved part of a before-and-after advert after just five matches. One thing he has in common with Vogts, however, is limited attacking options.The unavailability of Lee McCulloch and Garry O’Connor deprives him of two potential sources of support for Kenny Miller, who will not, surely, be asked to forage alone in such an all-or-nothing game. James McFadden’s goal ratio of seven in 21 caps make him seem the obvious partner, but Smith’s preference for forwards who track back and work their markers may lead him to use Paul Hartley off the front or trust in the raw Craig Beattie, of Celtic, rather than the Everton maverick.A hip problem has prevented Nigel Quashie training here. Yet that fact, according to Ferguson, has had the desired effect of concentrating minds.
“We’ve got to win here Three points A draw’s no use.
