Just as there has long seemed something inappropriate and incorrect about the surname belonging to Ian Wright, the name Dennis Wise somehow implies a quality of character not always apparent in the captain of Chelsea. But, at the age of 33 and with a Football Association charge of misconduct hanging over him, Wise was yesterday offered a direct free-kick at personal and professional redemption when Kevin Keegan named him alongside David Beckham and Paul Scholes in the England midfield to face Argentina.
Wise's was the least expected name on the England team-sheet handed out at Burnham Beeches, west of London, yesterday afternoon, and not only because of the charges against him following the tunnel incident at Stamford Bridge after the Wimbledon match 10 days ago. The fact that Wise has been sent off six times in the past 18 months was also mentioned, as was the statistic that he has not started an England game for four years.
None of this, however, appeared to faze Keegan. He said that he separated any allegation of misconduct from his team selection until a player was found guilty, and added that two of Wises's red cards had been for hand-ball rather than anything violent . Stupidity rules okay.
Wise leapt ahead of Middlesbrough's Paul Ince and he would have to be incompetent or malevolent tonight if he is not to be part of the England squad for Holland and Belgium this summer. Keegan stressed that with only two more warm-up games to go, against Brazil and Croatia, displays this evening will be his chief source of information for those "three or four" places that are still up for contention. "Basically, after this the 22 will be picked."
"His consistency at club level has been marvellous," Keegan said of Wise. "At Chelsea he is a key, key player. There is a lot of stuff that surrounds him, and that's understandable, but what better game to put him in? It gives him the chance to answer his critics."
Although Keegan admitted that there was an element of surprise in Wise's appearance, he did point out that Wise came on as a substitute at the Stadium of Light in the game with Belgium recently. Keegan thought Wise did well. "What he did do was make things happen. I shall be telling him to go out and do the things that excite me. I think he's good enough, cute enough and, yes, I hope wise enough to do what is required in that position."
The last time the two countries met was that fateful, atmospheric night in St Etienne in June 1998 when Beckham was sent off and England lost on penalties. Alan Shearer said there was not even a hint of revenge on the agenda. He will be compared again to Gabriel Batistuta inevitably and said he was flattered by the comparison.
Of possibly greater interest to Shearer, though, was the fact that his former Blackburn Rovers colleague Jason Wilcox has been appointed as the latest candidate for that difficult-to-fill left-sided berth. Wilcox, now of Leeds, could also work his way onto the plane for Europe with a diligent and effective effort. In his favour are the two big men to aim for in Shearer and Leicester's Emile Heskey. Heskey, with four substitutes' appearances to his name for England, and only five goals for Leicester this season, is another playing for a flight ticket.
Heskey, 22 in January, is aware that with Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen injured, this could be a definitive moment in his development. A solid performance might enhance the possibility of a transfer to join Fowler and Owen at Liverpool.
Keegan could have chosen easier opposition with which to tinker. By common consent only Brazil are better than Argentina. If it does go unwisely for England, Brazil are up next.
England: David Seaman (Arsenal); Kieron Dyer (Newcastle), Martin Keown (Arsenal), Gareth Southgate (Aston Villa), Sol Campbell (Tottenham), Jason Wilcox (Leeds), Dennis Wise (Chelsea), David Beckham (Man Utd), Paul Scholes (Man Utd), Alan Shearer (Newcastle), Emile Heskey (Leicester).
