By Ollie Irish
Three fresh new faces in England’s senior squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Hungary: Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere (as we told you earlier this week), Wilshere’s team-mate Kieran Gibbs and Fulham striker Bobby Zamora.
It’s a start but hardly a full sweep of the new broom by Capello.
The squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Ben Foster (Birmingham City), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers)
Defenders: Wes Brown (Manchester United), Gary Cahill (Bolton Wanderers), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), John Terry (Chelsea)
Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Aston Villa), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Bobby Zamora (Fulham)
David James and Rob Green have been dropped, which could signal the end of their international careers. In come Ben Foster and Paul Robinson. A good decision, I think. James has had his time, while it’s clear Green’s temperament is not suited to the biggest of stages.
Good to see a recall for Phil Jagielka (he deserves it), and interesting that Zamora and Bent – neither of whom were considered good enough to make the trip to South Africa – are now back in contention, with no room for Spurs duo Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe. Speaking of Spurs, I’d have liked to see Tom Huddlestone in the squad. Was it something Arry Redknapp said?
What strikes me first is the lack of decent strikers England now has. I don’t think Bent, Cole or Zamora would get in any squad of another so-called big nation – and on World Cup form, neither would Rooney.