The Real Reason Kevin Davies Wasn`t Picked

There have been a number of reasons advanced for Kevin Davies not making the England squad this week. All of them have validity. Davies is 32 shortly, it`s a bit late to making an international debut. He plays for an unfashionable club. Emile Heskey and Peter Crouch have played the lone striker role for England previously.

There is another explanation however. He`s called Matthew Upson. In the recent game between Bolton and West Ham, Davies left Upson in such a traumatised state that it wouldn`t have been surprising if he`d required anti-depressants and a course of counselling.

Faced with the prospect of marking Davies in a training game, Upson would probably have taken evasive action. Like hiding in a cupboard somewhere.