Retiring from international football.

This is not an anti-Ashley Cole thread (even though I don't like the bloke much), but his retirement from international football today got me thinking.

Is it not a bit petulant and self-indulgent for footballers to do this?

You play for your country for a bit, you get old / shit, you no longer get selected because you're no longer good enough.

Why do you feel the need to announce on Twitter that you've decided to retire?

No you haven't, you've effectively been dropped because you're not as good as the young talent coming through and you ain't getting back in.

It wasn't your choice not to play for your country any more, it was the national team coach's.

Does anyone else think it's a bit of a petulant "dummy spitting" exercise, irrespective of how much apparent dignity it was done with?

This instance was pointless as like you say he was no longer wanted.  But there are instances when players do this and would have still been selected if they hadn't retired. Scoles and Carragher..

If Baines and Shaw get injured Cole would be the obvious replacement. It looks like he has burned his bridges but in fairness to Woy, Ashley hasn't been an ever present for Chelsea this season.

"If Baines and Shaw get injured Cole would be the obvious replacement."


Ahead of Alex Baptiste?


Are you mad.....?

I forgot about him!   

Its obvious he was going to retire, he'll be too old for the Euros .

He can go shagging whores for the rest of his life now.