Italian superstar and West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has spoken of his surprise at 30 year old Jamie Carragher’s decision to stop playing for England in 2007 as a result of rarely being chosen to start by ex-England manager Sven Goran Eriksson. Zola has spoken about how he frequently sat on the bench or didn’t start for Italy, yet would never have considered rejecting the opportunity to play for his coutry:

“There were times when I was disappointed – but being called into any squad was an honour.

“Carragher’s decision really surprises me. I would never say I would not play for Italy. You just don’t.”

Of course, Zola also has the upcoming West Ham v Liverpool match on his mind, in addition to the Tevez court battle, and, despite believing that West Ham can win, he recognises that Liverpool’s position in league and success this season means the match will not be an easy one:

“Liverpool  are going through one of their best spells but we can achieve something.”

Source:Star