In this week’s Coke Column, Giles discusses his continued recovery from injury and England’s struggle to qualify for Euro 2008.

Hi everyone, since I last spoke to you I have played two further reserve games. I have now featured in three games and I feel that I am starting to regain my match fitness and hope to be involved in the first team reckoning sooner rather than later. When returning from such a long injury lay off, it obviously takes time to regain that sharpness but I am confident that I can develop into a better player under the guidance I am receiving from the management staff at the club.

I played a full ninety minutes against Peterborough last week. This was my first full ninety since the turn of the year and it was a great feeling completing a match. The game finished 1-1 and although I thought I played ok, I was still a bit disappointed as I know I am a much better player than that. I felt I worked hard and felt fitter than in my first comeback game, which was pleasing.

I had another run out for the reserves on Monday night. We ended up losing 5-2 against a Norwich side which featured a number of the first team squad. By comparison, we gave a run out to quite a few of our younger players as the first team were preparing for the FA Cup 1st round replay against Darlington the following night. I thought I played ok against Norwich. I broke into the box on several occasions, which is an area of my game where I feel I can be a threat. I got a few shots on goal, one from about 12 yards out which the keeper pulled off a good save to push round his near post. Unfortunately after sixty minutes, the injury curse struck! A corner was floated over and I lost my man. I went for a diving header and got whacked full on in the face by a defender’s boot. I managed to head the ball towards goal and it was going in but one of our players back heeled it over the line to make sure. When I got up I had blood coming from the top of my head and under my eye. I was taken off and given seven stitches in my head and one under my eye which will probably leave me with a small scar. I’ve got a black eye at the moment aswell, so that’s the modelling career down the drain!! Still, it’s only superficial and if the manager feels that my fitness is now sufficient enough for me to be involved in the first team squad against Walsall at the weekend, I’ll be raring to go!

It will be interesting to see how we go against Walsall at the weekend, as we will also be playing them in the next round of the FA Cup. We got a good 2-1 win last night against Darlington in our replay. I’d actually drafted for this week’s Coke Column prior to the match that I thought we’d win 2-0 and we were very close to that scoreline, with Darlington scoring their consolation in stoppage time. Hopefully we can beat Walsall in the next round and draw a Premiership side in the third round.

I didn’t get a chance to see the Israel v Russia match on Saturday but I think England should count themselves very lucky to be in the position they are in ahead of tonight’s match against Croatia. I don’t think they’ve been good enough throughout the qualifying stages and probably haven’t deserved to go through, as they ultimately have had to rely on another game going their way. I’m not a huge fan of McClaren either. I didn’t think he was the man for the job when he was appointed and I’ve not seen anything so far to change my mind. As a proud Englishman I really hope he can prove me wrong and take the lads all the way at Euro 2008 next summer in Austria and Switzerland. I actually thought Scolari should have got the job. If McClaren ends up leaving after tonight, which I don’t think he will as I can’t see England not qualifying now, I’d go for someone like Jose Mourinho to replace him.

I’ve heard England may line up 4-5-1 tonight with Gerrard, Lampard and Barry in the middle and Joe Cole and Beckham/SWP on either flank, with Crouch ahead of them. I personally think this is a bit defensive and would put either Defoe or Bent up front with Crouch to give him a bit more support and firepower. If it’s not working, then we look to change it. I would also start with Cole on the left, Beckham on the right, and Stevie G and Lamps in the middle. I know Gerrard and Lampard can’t seem to play well together but I feel that Lamps is so consistent for Chelsea and scores for fun that we can’t not play him as he adds a goal threat from midfield, and Gerrard is Gerrard isn’t he, he’s always going to be in my team! My prediction for tonight is 2-0 to England. Fingers crossed!

Speak to you in two weeks when hopefully I’ll have fully completed my comeback from injury.

Your questions:

Hello Giles, I was wondering what is your reaction on Augustin Binya’s (Benfica)’s harsh tackle on Scott Brown (Celtic) in the UEFA Champions League?
As a player, have you suffered from a similar challenge before? And in your opinion, does the stud configuration have an effect on such challenge?
From Phantomclf

I thought it was a shocking challenge to be honest and a six game ban was about right. Only Binya will know whether or not he went into the challenge with the intent on breaking Scott Brown’s leg, but the lad’s amazingly lucky to come out of the tackle unscathed. Luckily I’ve never been on the receiving end of a challenge like that and hopefully never will.

Regarding the debate on football boots, I always wear moulds and I’ve never had any problems. I just prefer the feel and grip of them. I suppose there’s an argument that if you wore moulds in very wet conditions, you could slip and twist your knee, but as I said I’ve never encountered any problems. I’m not sure how they would have an effect on a challenge like that. That was a bad challenge in anyone’s language, simple as that!

Look forward to answering more of your questions

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