Gale: Why Didn't Duo Start?

Tony Gale says that Joe Cole and Trevor Sinclair will be privately disappointed at not starting against Portugal for England on Saturday.

Although David James played the full 90 minutes of the 1-1 draw - "he made no mistakes" says Tony - he is more concerned that the outfield duo did not get a fuller go of things.

"Trevor has proved time and time again that he is the better of the wide players and I'm sure he will be disappointed that Emile Heskey started there.

"It look as if Eriksson is giving a Liverpool type feel to the England side by putting him ahead of Trevor.

"As for Joe not starting, again I am surprised there because David Dunn was called later into the squad and yet he is put ahead of him.

"I don't know when he will be given a full game - but I think the Portugal game would have been ideal."

With Gary Breen's Eire losing to Russia and Christian Dailly involved in a 2-2 draw in the Faroe Islands - population 50,000 - it wasn't the best of days, perhaps for some of the West Ham players involved in international duty.

However, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe came through Friday night's England U21 draw with Yugoslavia unscathed after playing a full game each.

Tony has little sympathy for Scots and quips:

"They were lucky to come back from two goals down!"

And, of the England game, he says:

"It was a bits and pieces game and, like I predicted, finished 1-1.

"Typically, though, I didn't have a bet..."