Ahead of England's next inevitable big tournament failure in two years, Roy Hodgson faces a problem that wasn't his own creation. All of his midfielders seem to be retiring, and he can't convince any of them to put aside their weary legs - as he did when selecting them for the World Cup - to allow him to continue choosing players based on their England mythology rather than their form. But now that Lampard, Gerrard and Carrick (pretty much) have retired, Hodgson will now have his work cut out in actually scouting players during the season, which is possibly why the manager was to be found taking in the Aston Villa vs Newcastle game at the weekend, amid accusations that he was lost on his way to a top four game. As it happens, Hodgson had his eye on a couple of players on show - suspiciously French sounding Villa midfielder Fabian Delph, and Newcastle's new Geordie hero (just don't mention his past) Jack Colback. That pair will give Hodgson some new options in midfield, even if Colback's inclusion comes with the caveat that he's probably only there thank to injuries. But that assessment ignores the fact that Colback is actually exactly what England - and indeed Newcastle - need right now. He is tenacious, hungry, surprisingly classy on the ball, and committed to the cause, and his technical skills are far superior to the initial assessment that he was being brought to Newcastle as no more than a squad place holder. Cue jokes about Colback having to move to a big club to get any England recognition from Newcastle fans... In his two league performances to date for the club, Colback has been man of the match - or at least he deserved to be - picking the ball up, always looking for options and never giving it away. He might not be the flashy, long-ball influencer that Yohan Cabaye was, but he is more than a simple functional player, and Newcastle's central midfield arguably looks more dependable than it did for most of last season, even with Cabaye still at the club. Colback has the potential to be an England player for some time, if he takes his chance, and Roy doesn't immediately drop him for a "more experienced", fit again alternative, and would be the kind of steadying influence England missed at the World Cup. He will presumably fight with Gareth Barry for that sort of starting position, with Ross Barkley assured of the attacking midfield role going forward, and he would no doubt whole-heartedly answer the critics who are currently questioning his unexpected inclusion in the squad. And come on, what are the alternatives? Jack Wilshere? Too petulant. Tom Cleverly? Too awful. Tom Huddleston? A good option to play alongside Colback, but not above him. Let's just hope he's not weighed down by the expectations that his nickname will no doubt attract - especially since Roy Hodgson has already made reference to them:
"Someone who knows him very well called Jack the "ginger Pirlo" - let's hope that becomes true."
Whatever the result, it's intriguing to see Newcastle players once more being included in England squads, after an extended absence, at least partially attributable to the club's fondness for looking abroad.
