England: Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney only men who could succeed Steven Gerrard as captain

Sky Sports pundit tells World Cup Podcast that Luis Suarez may always have trouble 'within'

By Jamie Carragher

Image: Carra says only Rooney or Hart could replace Gerrard if the Liverpool skipper quits England duty

There weren’t really too many positives from England’s game with Costa Rica.

Fair play to Roy Hodgson and Gary Neville for giving guys who have been at the World Cup and not really played a chance but it wasn’t a great performance and it looked like what it was: a game that didn’t mean too much.

It’s sad to see us in that situation and not beat Costa Rica, as even though they have caused two shocks against Italy and Uruguay and got through to the last 16, we really should be beating them.

There aren’t too many club captains in the squad who could take the bigger role and more responsibility with England.
Jamie Carragher

I also don’t see a natural England captain should Steven Gerrard retire as there aren’t too many club captains who could take the bigger role and more responsibility.

I don’t see Gary Cahill as England captain material at the moment. He is a first-choice centre-back now but is still establishing himself at international level - and how long Wayne Rooney will stay in Roy’s first XI with the emergence of young players, like Ross Barkley, remains to be seen.

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I think that’s one of the reasons why Roy is so keen to keep Steven but if Steven does go, I’d say the captaincy would be between Rooney, who I do think will be a first-choice for England at the start of next season, and Joe Hart.

Devastated

The big news today, though, is Luis Suarez’s alleged bite on Giorgio Chiellini, which was just another moments of madness from him.

More from Costa Rica V England

He has let himself, his team and his family down - I was at Anfield when he bit Branislav Ivanovic and know how devastated his wife was by his actions – while Liverpool certainly won’t be impressed either.

Former Liverpool defender Phil Thompson believes Luis Suarez's behaviour is a smack in the face for a club that has stood by him.

It’s not a one-off either. There is now a long list of things Luis has done and I think this is going to be around for a long time because he did this on such a massive stage and with the whole world watching.

I know Fifa have not yet said if or what type of ban he might get  - some people are talking all kinds of numbers - but, considering that he got 10 games in the Premier League, I would be surprised if he will feature again in this World Cup.

After the way he performed last year I thought he had learned a massive lesson in his life and overcome things but this obviously shows he hasn’t, that this is within him and that it will be difficult to stop or cut out totally.

You try to understand what you are seeing but you can’t really because it is such a bizarre moment and this is another blot on his copybook.

Jamie Carragher was talking to Sky Sports’ World Cup Podcast, which has new shows very Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the World Cup.

To download the latest episode, which is presented by Andy Burton and Anna Woolhouse and features the views of Ray Wilkins, click here.

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