James Milner names his England Dream Team for FATV

Thursday 26 Mar 2015
James Milner names his England Dream Team

James Milner turned fantasy manager and selected his England dream team from the players he has played with for either club or country.

The Manchester City midfielder, who is in the Three Lions squad preparing for Friday's European Qualifier against Lithuania, picked a star-studded 11 from past and present team-mates.

"I've gone for a 4-4-2 formation," Milner told FATV. "Maybe one player will be unhappy with where he's playing, but he's done it before so can deal with it."

Milner tells FATV his best England 11

Goalkeeper
"In goal, Joe Hart. I've played with Harty a long time with the U21s and obviously at club level. You can forget how young he is [27] in terms of goalkeepers."

Defence
"Right-back I'm going to go for Gary Neville. I was in one England squad with him and I feel like I should put him in now he's the coach! He was always horrible to play against, he could get forward and back and had a great cross as well.

"Centre-halves, first one Jonathan Woodgate. So unlucky with injury but if he'd have played more, many people would have said he'd have been one of the greatest defenders England has ever had.

"Alongside him, Rio Ferdinand. A good defender, made things look easy and always seemed to have so much time on the ball. The amount of trophies he's won and transfer fees he went for shows what a top player he has been.

"Left-Back Ashley Cole. Pretty easy one, defensively a nightmare to play against. I've played against him so many times and he never stops running and bombing forward."

David Beckham and Steven Gerrard

David Beckham and Steven Gerrard make Milner's line-up

Midfield
"I'll start on the right, David Beckham. His delivery was ridiculous. How he was as a person and everything he had going on, everyone wanted a piece of him and he had time for younger players coming in.

"In the middle Steven Gerrard. When I first came into the England squad he was at his absolute peak and could do everything – both feet, up and down the field, win the ball, score goals. An amazing player and pretty much one of the best all-round players I've seen.

"In with him, I'm going to go Lamps, Frank Lampard. He just keeps going on and on and on. The standards he sets himself through the way he trains... even this year some people thought he was just coming to City for six months, but stamps his authority straight away and becomes a massive player for us.

"On the left, out of position, I've gone for Wayne Rooney. But that's him in a nutshell really, he'll play for the cause. 

"He's had an amazing England career and I'm sure there's more to come from him. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He'll give you 100 per cent every single time, whether that's in training or out on the field."

Michael Owen celebrates one of his three goals against Germany in 2001

Michael Owen played with Milner at Newcastle

Forwards
"Upfront, the first one is Alan Shearer. His goal record speaks for itself, amazing for England and his club. None of this placing nonsense, he'd put his foot through it and hit it 100 mile an hour and bang it in the net, more times than not. 

"A great penalty taker, I used to watch him and he'd take three or four normally, then he'd tell the keeper where he was going and it was Shay [Given] in net and he normally couldn't save them even though he knew where they were going.

"He'd complement the other striker, Michael Owen. I played with him at Newcastle and he was a great goalscorer, but unfortunately he had injuries later in his career. But he was a top player."

"That's the team, and I feel lucky to have played with those players. I don't think that's too bad an 11!"

James Milner

Milner's team-sheet

By FA Staff