Tradition calls for an England Number 9

We were all surprised by Emile Heskey’s bizarre return from the international football wilderness last month and happily so when he more than helped England to wins in the vital Euro qualifiers against Israel and Russia. However, many would agree that this is simply not a viable or forward thinking long term venture. Heskey may have an impact on mediocre teams such as Israel but at the top end of international football you need to have more quality and consistency (Heskey has just 5 goals in 45 caps). Indeed McClaren’s hand may now be forced to look for alternative solutions now that the man they call ‘Bruno’ has broken the infamous metertarsal. An answer is rapidly engulfing the horizon though, in the imposing form of Dean Ashton. The West Ham striker’s return to form, fitness and first class goals has re-ignited excitement and optimism that England may finally have a natural successor to Alan Shearer.

Ashton is a big favourite at West Ham, despite his relative lack of appearances for the club since his move from Norwich City in January 2006. His appreciation by the Hammers faithful is down to his undeniable talent, work rate for the team and the way that he makes himself the central component of all the team’s attacking moves. It is not so much that Ashton is greedy and demands the ball, but his side inevitably play through him because he rarely gives the ball away, can hold off defenders and creates as many chances for the team as for him self. He is a big lad and uses his frame very well to hold up the ball and is also dangerous in the air. His touch is one of the stronger aspects of his game and is a rare quality for a player of his size. Having Teddy Sheringham around the club when he signed for the Hammers must have rubbed off from him, as Ashton has a great football brain and awareness of whose around, which enables him to pick clever first-time passes into dangerous areas (combinations with Freddi Ljungberg are already bearing fruit). He likes to put power into his shots and has scored several goals from outside the box as well as the obligatory tap in.

These attributes and style of play Dean Ashton possesses are reminiscent of the England stalwart Alan Shearer and, injuries permitting, he may go on to have a successful career at the top level. A dominant, physical presence upfront is what England has been lacking ever since Shearer’s retirement and it is a ploy which has long been a successful aspect of England side’s historically. Ashton did once make an England squad, during the build up to World Cup 2006 and the tournament may have turned out differently had the powerful forward been available. As it was, Ashton was to be the victim of a cruel fate, breaking his ankle in an innocuous training ground tackle at the hands of the impish Shaun Wright-Phillips, ‘I was crying uncontrollably once I was off the pitch and into the dressing rooms because I knew it was long-term. I’ve missed the chance to play for England’. Instead England went to the World Cup that year with Peter Crouch and the child-like, unused Theo Walcott – main man Michael Owen damaged his cruciates and sadly the rest is history. Perhaps Ashton’s influence and quality is best represented by West Ham’s fortunes during his enforced spell on the sidelines - while Ashton missed virtually the whole of last season through injury, West Ham only narrowly avoided relegation to the championship in the final week of a season in which the goals seemed to go in exclusively at the defensive end.

Ashton has showed that he is now fit and raring to kick-start his England career once more, with a string of fine displays this season and clearly wants to put any fitness doubts behind him, ‘If people took the time to come and watch me they’d realise that I’m not actually fat and I’m not that slow’. If there were to be a criticism of Ashton, then you could point to his modest pace and lack of explosive acceleration. Due to his formidable frame he will also need to work hard during his career to maintain his shape and mobility, or West Ham may have another John Hartson on their hands. However, the way he plays the game does not incorporate speed work and he is simply not the type to go chasing lost causes into the corners. Paired with the likes of Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney for England this would not be his role anyway, as he would be looking to win the flicks and make the passes for his partner to run onto.

Ashton feels he is in ‘the best shape ever’ and must surely be a strong candidate to start in England boss Steve McClaren’s next game against Estonia on 13th October. With Heskey injured, Owen struggling for fitness, Rooney, Crouch and Defoe goalless, and the hapless Andrew Johnson and Darren Bent virtually ruling themselves out by default Ashton has become not only a potentially beneficial option, but maybe the only one too.