Fabio Cappello has announced a surprise 30 man squad for the World Cup in South Africa this summer. Tottenham Hotspurs’ excellent season in the Premier League has seen an increase to the number of Spurs players in the squad which will be hoping to recapture the glory of 1966. The provisional squad includes many of the core players as well as some shock surprises which include talented but consistently crocked Ledley King. King’s inclusion in the Spurs game at Burnley was the first time in 3 years that he had made 3 starts in the week. Before that, the England man had had to space out his playing time because of a consistently troubling knee injury.
Jamie Carragher is another shock inclusion in the squad. The Liverpool man’s return to the England fold is the result of Fabio Capello talking the centre defender out of retirement. Neither Carragher nor King has played under Capello even though the Tottenham captain found himself in the squad for a double header against Slovakia and Ukraine last year before being dropped because of his suspected fitness levels. The inclusions come after doubts emerged over the fitness of Captain John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. With Wes Brown and Joleon Lescott ruled out through injury and Ferdinand making rare starts with his club Manchester United, quality backup has been a primary concern for Capello ahead of the World Cup on the African continent.
Despite Gareth Barry’s injury, he has been selected with Owen Hargreaves missing out despite strong rumors that the latter tenacious midfielder would be selected ahead of Barry. Instead, West Ham’s only bright light of the current campaign, Scott Parker has been selected as backup. Parker will bring some much needed steel in the middle of the park along with surprise call up of Tom Huddlestone who had been in sterling form for Tottenham. Also included in Chelsea’s bit part player this season, Joe Cole whose last game for the Three Lions came back in September 2008 when they recorded that famous win over Croatia in Zagreb which saw Theo Walcott’s hattrick.
That hattrick must have stayed in Capello’s mind as Walcott finds a place in the group of thirty.
Also included in the role of the nippy, fast winger are Tottenham Hotspur’s Aaron Lennon and Manchester City’s Shaun-Wright Phillips.Manchester City’s Adam Johnson and Spurs’ centre defender Michael Dawson are two uncapped players in the squad who will be looking to impress their Italian boss as both players hope to be on the plane to South Africa.
Bobby Zamora of Fulham, Carlton Cole of West Ham United and Stewart Downing of Aston Villa are players who have failed to make the cut along with Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. Only three goal-keepers have been selected for the African Safari with David James, Robert Green and Joe Hart named in the 30 man party.
James Milner has been rewarded for his excellent season by being selected in the squad while his Villa teammate Stephen Warnock also finds himself in the party. Darren Bent of Sunderland finds himself in the preliminary cut as well. Bent was the highest English scorer in the English Premier League and will hope to find a place ahead of the likes of teammates, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe. Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney however look un-droppable due to their crucial contribution in the qualifying rounds. Heskey, despite his woeful form and lack of playing time for Aston Villa will hope to have a ticket to South Africa courtesy of his chemistry with Rooney.
The full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, David James, Robert Green.
Defenders: Leighton Baines, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Rio Ferdinand, Glen
Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock.
Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Forwards: Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney.
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