Heskey still a gamble

Emile Heskey's England future remains questionable

From BBC Sport Online chief soccer writer Phil McNulty in Athens.

Sven Goran Eriksson revealed he was feeling lucky before England faced Greece in Athens - and fortune favoured the brave when it came to the crucial matter of team selection.

Eriksson ignored the obvious choice, as well as public opinion, when he opted for Emile Heskey instead of Steve McManaman in the key left sided role for the World Cup qualifier.

If Eriksson wanted to give McManaman a message about how he is placed in England's current pecking order, he could hardly have made it more clear.

Sven Goran Eriksson was happy with Heskey's performance

The gossip swirling around the camp in Athens claimed that McManaman had not been impressive training in the heat of La Manga.

But it was still a surprise when a natural wide man was edged out by a man who is the identikit of the modern bustling striker.

And all Eriksson's prayers were answered in the 63rd minute when Heskey crossed from the left for Paul Scholes to put England ahead.

It was a rare moment of joy in Athens for Heskey, who spent most of the night looking the squarest of pegs in the roundest of holes.

As far as England's left flank position is concerned, if Heskey is the answer then it must be a very strange question.

Alien role

This is not a personal criticism of Heskey, who is hardly likely to reject an international cap on the grounds that left wing is not really his bag.

He worked hard and will not have done himself any harm when it comes to earning brownie points with Eriksson for effort.

It is simply that it is unfair to ask Heskey to fashion his international future in a role that is so alien to him, and so important to the team.

Heskey can pose an attacking threat, as he did when he crossed well in the first half and then set up the goal for Scholes - but he is a stranger to the position.

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has used Heskey on the left as a shock tactic in Europe, but it is difficult to imagine that he is the long-term solution to the latest England problem position.

Eriksson would appear to have Heskey's Liverpool team-mate Nick Barmby earmarked for the role, while Spurs' Darren Anderton now seems more likely to appear for "The Lancet XI" than England.

Heskey's career is currently an irony, with Houllier showing unshakeable faith in him as a first choice striker at Liverpool, at least on a par with Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler when it comes to team selection, and possibly even ahead of them.

But at international level he appears to be fighting over the scraps while Owen and Fowler help themselves to the main course with England.

It is difficult to imagine, with the return of Andy Cole, Heskey forcing his way into one of the attacking roles - so the conundrum for Eriksson is how to fit him into his plans.

On the left against Germany? Not really.