Just spotted a feature on the year ahead in the back of the Observer sport section. The paper’s asked their sports correspondents to pick out what they are looking forward to in 2009 and the Observer’s football correspondent, Paul Wilson, has picked out our very own Jimmy Bullard.
What I’d like to see most in 2009 is Jimmy Bullard playing for England. He has already made a couple of squads under Fabio Capello, but given a chance to play I’m sure he would quickly win Wembley over and repay his coach’s confidence to become a fixture in the team. I don’t particularly care which established England midfielder has to make way – that’s a problem for Capello to solve – I just think England would be greatly improved by the inclusion of an individual who works hard but doesn’t take himself too seriously, and who would bring a sense of humour as well as perspective to counteract the ludicrous solemnity that always seems to attach itself to our World Cup campaigns.