Jonathan Woodgate will find out tomorrow whether he has been forgiven for
his affray conviction and allowed to return to the England fold.
On purely football terms, Woodgate would expect to get into the side, with
only club team-mate Rio Ferdinand appearing to be anywhere near the top of
his game of all England's available centre-backs, but the situation is
surrounded by politics.

It is likely that a media storm would ensue should Woodgate be selected, and
it is doubtful that the FA , even under pressure from Sven Goran Eriksson,
will have the stomach for the flak.

Lee Bowyer's situation is somewhat clearer as he is just coming to the end
of a six-match ban and it is unlikely his form would warrant his selection.

Elsewhere Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler and Nigel Martyn can expect to be
selected and Alan Smith and Danny Mills will both have their fingers
crossed.

Martyn is looking forward to playing in front of his home crowd and
hopefully stealing a march on David Seaman and David James.

Martyn said: "It would be extra special to play for my country at Elland
Road and a very proud moment but it is just as important to do well in
Leeds' next game at Leicester.

"Unfortunately this season we haven't matched the standards of last year,
even when we were top we weren't playing as well as we could.

"It hasn't been through lack of effort, everyone from the top of the club to
the bottom has been working hard to put things right."





"Love is like oxygen. Love is a many splendid thing, Love lifts us up where
we belong, All you need is love!"


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