[ALBSA-Info] No Hope Against England

[Kreshnik Bejko]

Tuesday, March 27, 2001
Vata: Albania have no hope
By Ken Dyer

Rudi Vata, Albania's best player, has ruled out any chance of his side 
causing an upset in tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against England in 
Tirana.
The defender, who plays for Energie Cottbus in Germany, says the fact that 
he and winger Edvin Murati will miss the game will make it easy for England.

Vata, who is banned after being booked in Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Germany, 
said: 'I don't feel we have a chance of beating England. We don't have 
enough good players to replace our best ones.

'Our players are not used to playing two games a week and we are shattered 
by what happened on Saturday, when we lost the game to an offside goal in 
the 88th minute.

'Defeat against Germany was so disappointing. We couldn't believe it because 
we fought so hard and didn't get what we deserved.'

England go into the game five points behind group leaders Germany with a 
question mark over Andy Cole.

The Manchester United striker has gone 12 internationals without scoring and 
missed an open goal against Finland at Anfield on Saturday.

Tord Grip, right-hand man to England coach Sven Goran Eriksson, said 
Eriksson will talk with Cole today to try to instil some confidence into 
him.

Cole was also backed by strike partner Michael Owen, who said: 'Andy has 
scored plenty of goals at club level and perhaps he just needs one to go in 
off his knee.

'It's not up to me to tell him how to do things. It's easy to put on a brave 
face but the important thing is that he's there to score or miss them in the 
next game.'

Cole also found an ally in United team-mate Gary Neville.

'Andy will always score goals,' he said. 'I have been in the same United 
team as him for the past six years and he is the most prolific striker I 
have played with. Nothing will ever get to Andy Cole.'

Neville also believes now is the time to draw a line under the past and look 
forward.

'You don't want to see players like Alan Shearer, Tony Adams and Stuart 
Pearce retiring,' he said. 'But the time comes to say "Let's move forward."

'When you play for England for 10 or 12 years you get used to a system. 
Players get stale. The Euro 96 squad was great but it ran out of steam. The 
Under-21 team's record under Peter Taylor was great and these young players 
have no fear. They just want to have a laugh together and play football.

'There has been a lot of talk about the West Ham players, and Michael Owen 
and Steven Gerrard.

'Players have been held back and this is the right time to bring them in


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