Twenty-seven minutes. Twenty-seven measly minutes.

Is that going to be the sum total of North-East football's contribution to England's World Cup effort?

And even when Kieron Dyer made his brief appearance against Sweden, he was hardly a good advert for the region.

If that's the best the North-East has to offer, outsiders might have thought, no wonder so few of their players are in the squad.

OK, the midfielder is still considerably short of full fitness. It's testament to his hunger and drive that he took his place at the World Cup party.

But a starting place was within his reach and begging to be taken - and Dyer let it slip through his fingers.

He can't even play the "left midfield" card in his defence, having lined up on his favoured right side when replacing David Beckham in Saitama.

After fluffing his lines on June 2, he is now condemned to a perennial bit-part role, Trevor Sinclair having gleefully grabbed his opportunity with accomplished performances that have bordered on the surprising.

It's a reminder that, for all Dyer's pace and verve in the Premiership, maybe he isn't quite as good as Newcastle fans thought.

Before the Toon Army go apoplectic at that statement, think about this: when has Dyer ever played well for England?

And no, one 45-minute appearance against Luxembourg doesn't count.

Is Dyer a better player than Sinclair? You'd have thought so. But Eriksson disagrees, and on the evidence of the last fortnight you'd have to say the Swede's judgment is spot on.

Despite Dyer's anaemic display in England's opening World Cup game, it was still little short of a shock when Sinclair replaced the injured Owen Hargreaves in the first half against Argentina last Friday.

Yet just as Dyer did nothing but give Eriksson reasons to leave him out when he faced Sweden, so Sinclair compiled a compelling case for his continued inclusion in the side.

Gareth Southgate has less reason to blame himself for his inactivity in the Far East. He can probably empathise with Argentina and Nigeria's strikers, for he too has seen his best efforts founder on the defensive rock of Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell.

Eriksson's refusal to countenance a change from a flat back four means Southgate was always likely to be the odd man out in a three-way battle for two.

But if the lack of local presence in the 23-man squad wasn't bad enough, the sight of Dyer and Southgate warming the bench should make any North-East fan blush.

Dyer may yet prove to be Eriksson's trump card; Southgate won't let England down in the event of an emergency.

But can the North-East really claim that this is its England team