What options we have in cool King and daft Woody

SO we're through to the World Cup Finals with a game to go and, although it maybe wasn't the most spectacular way to get to Germany, all the lads are absolutely delighted.

The praise since the weekend hasn't exactly been deafening but we've come to expect that recently.

Everyone has their own opinion and I'm not denying that we haven't played that well this season.

Every team, no matter how good they are, has a dip in form at sometime though and far better it's now rather than next June for us.

I know these players, I've seen what they can do and I'm convinced we can go on to do really well in Germany.

We must, for example, have the strongest and widest options in the central defensive positions than any country in world football.

A lot was made of which two would play against Austria on Saturday and there are players such as Jamie Carragher and Ledley King waiting for their chance.

There's another name I would like to throw in the hat and that is Jonathan Woodgate.

'Woody' has had a tough time with injuries over the past few months and even his long-awaited debut for Real Madrid was traumatic for him when he got himself sent off.

He's faced tougher challenges in his life than that, though, and I'm backing him to come through in the end.

Woody and I used to share digs at Leeds when we were there so I've got to know him pretty well over the years.

He's as daft as a brush but what a player! He has got the lot, believe me.

When he's fully fit and on his game Woody is different class, right up there with the best.

Talking about quality, I see that some people are predicting that my Tottenham team-mate Ledley will given a holding role in midfield tomorrow.

If that is correct then I would back Ledley to do well. Wherever he plays, Ledley never looks rushed and that's a mark of a good player. Even when he's in trouble, he doesn't look it.

He is strong and has pace, in fact, he has everything. His versatility makes him a key man and, for me, he could do a good job in the centre of defence, in midfield or even at fullback.

Now we're through, I am sure the manager will have a good look at all the different options available to him before we go to the World Cup Finals.

The goalkeeping position is one case in point. I have the jersey at the moment and I certainly don't intend steeping aside for anyone but I'm aware that Chris Kirkland and Robert Green only have one cap between them and that they could do with some experience.

It's a difficult one because you always want to win games and pick your strongest side yet how do these players get experience other than playing?

I was in the same boat myself, waiting patiently for my big chance, which eventually came against Poland just over a year ago.

People have been pretty kind with their comments since then and one aspect of my game which is always cropping up is my kicking.

I have been asked whether I do extra training on that part of my game but the answer is I've always been strong in the kicking department.

It does come naturally to some degree but I would say it goes back to my early days at Leeds, when we lived at the training complex.

Sometimes, in the afternoon, myself and Woody used to debate whether or not to catch a bus into town, maybe go to the cinema.

Usually though, we stayed at the training ground, got a football out and kicked it around for an hour or two.

That undoubtedly helped the kicking a lot even though I wasn't aware of it at the time and it does underline for any aspiring young player that there is no substitute for hard work and practice.

I'm hoping the kicking is working well tomorrow night. I missed training on Monday with a tight thigh muscle but it was just a precaution and I'll be fine for the match.

I hear that my Spurs club-mate Grzegorz Rasiak might start the game for Poland and apparently he's been telling everyone he's going to score against me.

Good luck to him, he's welcome to try but I'm definitely not rising to the bait.

Those things have a strange habit of coming back to haunt you in the beautiful game so I'm just going to keep quiet for a while and, as they say, let my goalkeeping do all the talking.

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