FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Unsung hero Robbie Earle has the chance to show England what they lost when he heads to the World Cup finals as the lynchpin of Jamaica’s midfield.

The 33-year-old Wimbledon ace, considered by many to be one of the best all-round midfielders in the English Premiership, was constantly overlooked by England before Jamaica stepped in to hand him the international recognition he craved. The free-scoring midfielder has been one of the most consistent performers in England’s top flight since joining Wimbledon in 1991 from first division Port Vale for 750,000 pounds (1.1 million dollars). But like several of his team-mates at the Premiership’s smallest club, he has suffered from the reluctance of successive England managers to take Wimbledon seriously.

Earle, one of the most intelligent and articulate players in English football who writes a column for high-brow Sunday newspaper The Observer, was seen by some as the natural successor to former England captain David Platt. His former manager at Port Vale, John Rudge, believes his protege was unlucky never to be given an England cap. “His committment, his skill and his ability to score goals I thought would put him on a level with David Platt,” says Rudge.

But by the end of last season, the modest and genial Earle seemed resigned to missing out on international football. “On the basis of my form at the moment I would say I deserve an England cap but then Glenn Hoddle has to have a long term strategy and at 32 I can hardly fit into that category,” Earle said at the time. A year on Earle, who has always remained loyal to Wimbledon despite being constantly linked with a move to one of England’s top clubs, heads for France to perform on football’s biggest stage.

Earle missed the end of the Premiership season after breaking his toe in April, but he expects to be fit to make France ‘98 and show England boss Hoddle what might have been.