US Trip
Monday, April 4, 2005

Real Madrid stars David Beckham and Michael Owen are set to join England for the last stage of their post-season trip to the United States.

But the Football Association insists that the duo are not under pressure to play in the matches against the USA on 28 May and Colombia on 31 May.

The timing of the tour led many to believe that England would take a second-string squad.

But the duo are keen to fly out after Real's final league match on 29 May.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson admitted that the timing was not ideal for the duo.

"They are due to come out one day and play the next, which is not the best thing in the world," he said.

"But they want to come. If they don't want to come, I will not pick them."

Meanwhile, Eriksson has hailed Alan Shearer as the best goalscorer in Europe in the past decade.

Shearer quit the England team following Euro 2000 - and after scoring 30 goals in 63 appearances.

"If you asked any football player or manager in Europe who has been the best goalscorer in the past 10 years, they would say Alan Shearer - absolutely," said Eriksson.

"He has still been scoring goals this season, he's clever, strong, not the tallest but one of the best headers of a ball in modern football."

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