I know that time is moving on, but my specialist has told me that it looks fine.”. Michael Atherton was yesterday confirmed as England’s captain for the Test and one-day series against India. The news came as Atherton was waiting to go in to bat at Old Trafford, where Lancashire were playing Yorkshire in a one-day friendly. “I’m delighted,” he said, when asked about his reappointment “I feel full of running and refreshed There are a few new faces about and I’m full of optimism. “But Martin Keown, Andy Linighan and Scott Marshall have got together and while it means I’ve had more work to do, more saves to make, it’s better for the side because you’re creating more at the other end.”Alan Shearer is confident he will be ready to lead the England line in Euro 96, just eight weeks after his groin operation.The Blackburn striker went into hospital last Thursday and plans to resume training when he returns to Ewood Park.

“I’m very optimistic, the operation has gone very well,” Shearer said.”I’m glad that I went ahead and had it when I did. “I am very happy with the way things are going at Arsenal and it’s good for me to have got the contract things out of the way so I can focus on the summer,” he said.
The 32-year-old has been the mainstay of the Arsenal defence since his pounds 1.3m move from Queen’s Park Rangers six years ago and has now established himself as Terry Venables’ first-choice goalkeeper.Bruce Rioch, the Arsenal manager, recently scrapped the club’s flat back four system in the absence of the injured Tony Adams and Steve Bould, which Seaman says was a surprise, but one that has paid off and was the way forward.”It took courage to do it, because everybody knew our back four and what we’d achieved,” he said. But they would also have to be prepared to ride out any storms, from the court cases or the Teddy Sheringham transfer inquiry, which may follow.Venables will select from a full squad for tomorrow’s match at Wembley. Liverpool’s Robbie Fowler is expected to be given a full debut in attack.. David Seaman, the Arsenal and England goalkeeper, is to stay at Highbury until the end of the century. “I’ve agreed a two-year extension to my current contract and that would take me up to 2000,” said Seaman, who is set to earn his 23rd cap against Croatia tomorrow. That may change next week, when Venables is expected to meet Graham Kelly, the FA’s chief executive, to `discuss the succession’, but nothing is likely to be settled until the end of the domestic season.If the FA followed Gascoigne’s advice and offered Venables a long contract he might well accept it.

The ostensible reason for his resignation, the series of autumn court cases, are still in the way. The other reason, the lack of backing from certain members of the FA, also remains but could, at least, be dealt with.At present the situation is much as it was in January Venables is still going but no successor has been appointed. It’s out of my hands and I can’t see any way round it.”This is not strictly true The situation is as much Venables’ creation as the FA’s He is, as Gascoigne reflected, `his own man’. Even if he wasn’t selecting me I would feel he was the best.”We all hope it won’t happen, that the FA will say, `We want you, here’s a five-year contract’ He should be there for the next 10 years. It must be nice for an FA guy to sit at Wembley and hear the crowd cheering Terry’s name and think, `we have a winner here’.”It would be brilliant if they could get him to change his mind, it would be the icing on the cake for the European Championships.”Venables constantly says he has had enough of the speculation, then appears to drop very gentle hints – like a knowing smile during a recent Sky interview – which suggest he could be persuaded to change his mind.Yesterday, in response to Gascoigne’s comments, he said: “It is very nice of him to say that I did not know the players felt as strongly as that But we’ve gone through all this before.

They are going to feel on top of the world when they go back to club level He has brought in Bryan to give him experience, and Don. If we don’t snap him up someone will.”The players have great respect for him I’ve had a few managers, I’ve been abroad He’s different class. He has different ideas, he knows what he’s talking about and knows how football should be played.”When he is talking all the lads are concentrating and listening, even Bryan Robson, even Don Howe, with his experience. When the gaffer speaks at meetings and he says, `Anything to say, Don?’, Don says `you’ve said it all’, which is a compliment from Don to the gaffer.”He is bringing in 17-year-olds to join in training – we never had that chance. What he needs now is the full backing of the Football Association I hope they can come to terms with him I don’t know why they aren’t behind him.