Red Devil
Aug 15 2002, 11:27 AM
ESPN EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Woodgate is expected to return to international football next month after it emerged last night that Sven Goran Eriksson will be given the go-ahead to select him in his squad for England's friendly against Portugal.
The Leeds defender, convicted of affray last December, was ruled out of the World Cup when FA officials decided to apply the same rules that prevent England fans convicted of violence from travelling to away matches.
But the FA courted controversy when it said Woodgate could be invited to return to the international fold this season and Soccernet now understands that Eriksson has indeed received permission to consider the 22-year-old centre half.
Woodgate is likely to miss Leeds' opening game with Manchester City on Saturday with a gashed knee. But now that Arsenal's Martin Keown has retired from international football, there is certainly a vacancy for England's game at Villa Park on September 7.
It was last night revealed that England's biggest game for the next two seasons will not be available to supporters live on terrestrial television.
On the day the FA called for a say in the broadcasting of England's away matches, Soho Square officials confirmed that the rights to the potentially decisive European Championship qualifier in Turkey in October of next year had been bought by Sky.
The FA is growing increasingly anxious that England supporters are in danger of missing out when Eriksson's team travel abroad. The current deal with BBC and Sky means all England's home games are available to everyone, but the FA has no control over the screening of overseas fixtures.
Paul Barber, the FA's director of marketing and communications, said last night: 'As far as the away games are concerned, it is one of my biggest frustrations that we have no control.
'When England went to Finland during the last qualifying campaign for the World Cup - and it was a big game because we had just lost to Germany at Wembley - it was on the now defunct pay-per-view channel U-direct.
'We feel we should have more control because we want as many fans as possible to see these games, but at the moment the host country has all the power and they decide who gets the rights.
'It is an issue we need to address with UEFA and FIFA. You can understand the situation from the point of view of smaller countries. When they play England it means a big pay-day. At the same time it is our brand they are selling, and our fans who miss out.
'The worry is that a match will end up on a pay-per-view channel or something like that.'
Losing out to Sky in the bidding for the Turkey game, which is expected to be staged in Istanbul, is a huge blow for the BBC. When England met Germany in Munich last September, millions tuned in to the BBC as Eriksson's side crushed the Germans 5-1.
Of England's four away games in the Euro 2004 qualifiers, only the trip to Macedonia in September next year will be screened by the BBC.
Sky has the Turkey match, while the bidding continues for October's meeting with Slovakia and the March encounter with Liechtenstein. At this stage it would appear Channel 5 is the favourite to secure the rights.
England's first home qualifier - against Macedonia on October 16 - will be staged at Southampton's St Mary's stadium.
Having recently visited Villa Park, Pride Park, White Hart Lane, St James' Park, Elland Road and the Stadium of Light, plus Anfield and Old Trafford twice each, England will host a senior game on the south coast for the first time.
Barber said: 'We're absolutely delighted that Southampton have agreed to stage this fixture. This is the first time the England team have played in the region since we began taking matches on the road. This is a very important match for Sven and the players, and we believe St Mary's is the perfect venue.'
England have moved up from eighth to seventh equal in the latest FIFA rankings. Brazil remain at the top of the list but Scotland have slipped five places to 60th - their worst-ever position.
The Leeds defender, convicted of affray last December, was ruled out of the World Cup when FA officials decided to apply the same rules that prevent England fans convicted of violence from travelling to away matches.
But the FA courted controversy when it said Woodgate could be invited to return to the international fold this season and Soccernet now understands that Eriksson has indeed received permission to consider the 22-year-old centre half.
Woodgate is likely to miss Leeds' opening game with Manchester City on Saturday with a gashed knee. But now that Arsenal's Martin Keown has retired from international football, there is certainly a vacancy for England's game at Villa Park on September 7.
It was last night revealed that England's biggest game for the next two seasons will not be available to supporters live on terrestrial television.
On the day the FA called for a say in the broadcasting of England's away matches, Soho Square officials confirmed that the rights to the potentially decisive European Championship qualifier in Turkey in October of next year had been bought by Sky.
The FA is growing increasingly anxious that England supporters are in danger of missing out when Eriksson's team travel abroad. The current deal with BBC and Sky means all England's home games are available to everyone, but the FA has no control over the screening of overseas fixtures.
Paul Barber, the FA's director of marketing and communications, said last night: 'As far as the away games are concerned, it is one of my biggest frustrations that we have no control.
'When England went to Finland during the last qualifying campaign for the World Cup - and it was a big game because we had just lost to Germany at Wembley - it was on the now defunct pay-per-view channel U-direct.
'We feel we should have more control because we want as many fans as possible to see these games, but at the moment the host country has all the power and they decide who gets the rights.
'It is an issue we need to address with UEFA and FIFA. You can understand the situation from the point of view of smaller countries. When they play England it means a big pay-day. At the same time it is our brand they are selling, and our fans who miss out.
'The worry is that a match will end up on a pay-per-view channel or something like that.'
Losing out to Sky in the bidding for the Turkey game, which is expected to be staged in Istanbul, is a huge blow for the BBC. When England met Germany in Munich last September, millions tuned in to the BBC as Eriksson's side crushed the Germans 5-1.
Of England's four away games in the Euro 2004 qualifiers, only the trip to Macedonia in September next year will be screened by the BBC.
Sky has the Turkey match, while the bidding continues for October's meeting with Slovakia and the March encounter with Liechtenstein. At this stage it would appear Channel 5 is the favourite to secure the rights.
England's first home qualifier - against Macedonia on October 16 - will be staged at Southampton's St Mary's stadium.
Having recently visited Villa Park, Pride Park, White Hart Lane, St James' Park, Elland Road and the Stadium of Light, plus Anfield and Old Trafford twice each, England will host a senior game on the south coast for the first time.
Barber said: 'We're absolutely delighted that Southampton have agreed to stage this fixture. This is the first time the England team have played in the region since we began taking matches on the road. This is a very important match for Sven and the players, and we believe St Mary's is the perfect venue.'
England have moved up from eighth to seventh equal in the latest FIFA rankings. Brazil remain at the top of the list but Scotland have slipped five places to 60th - their worst-ever position.