The seven England players to wave goodbye to World Cup dream
From Fabio Capello’s 30-man World Cup squad, seven unfortunate souls will have their dreams of clinching a place in the final England squad shattered not long before the tournament kicks off.
It’s a cruel inevitability that the 30 must be whittled down to just 23; and one which these seven men in particular should brace themselves for.
Stephen Warnock
The Aston Villa left-back may have enjoyed a solid season at Villa Park, but he faces a duel against Everton’s Leighton Baines in England’s next two friendlies to impress the boss. With Capello keen to find a reliable back-up for Ashley Cole, he could do a lot worse than selecting Warnock. However, with just one England cap to his name – which came back in 2008 - the 28-year-old would represent a gamble if called upon. Whereas his rival at full-back, Baines, was given the nod in the absence of Cole just two months ago against Egypt – signifying that it’s he who holds pole position in the left-back pecking order.
Michael Dawson
Manchester City and Argentina striker Carlos Tevez hailed Dawson as the best English defender he’d played against earlier this year; but despite this, the 26-year-old may well have his summer freed up again when Capello announces his 23-man squad. The Tottenham centre-back has been a rock at the heart of the Spurs defence this season, striking up a superb partnership with the formidable Ledley King in recent weeks. However, with no previous international experience, the England head coach should opt for the more established West Ham captain, Matthew Upson, instead.
Tom Huddlestone
Like Dawson, it’s been an impressive campaign for fellow Tottenham regular, Tom Huddlestone. Equipped with a thunderous shot to rival any player in world football, the central-midfielder has really begun to fulfil his potential this season. The 23-year-old is still maturing as a player, though; and it’s because of this that the 2010 World Cup finals may come slightly too soon for the former Derby County man. But with an array of passing to match Michael Carrick’s, it will be a close run battle in the eyes of Capello. Like the previous two England hopefuls, it’s the nine minutes of previous international football which may deter the England manager from selecting Huddlestone in the final 23.
Scott Parker
There’s not much more Scott Parker could have done to stake a place in England’s World Cup squad. The West Ham captain has led by example at Upton Park this season, playing the crucial role in helping the Hammers avoid the dreaded drop to the Championship. As a result of his talismanic performances, the club’s new owners announced that Parker was the only West Ham player they wouldn’t consider selling this summer – they rightfully regard him as indispensible. However, regardless of his club form for the likes of Charlton, Chelsea and Newcastle, Parker’s international career has never really taken off. Under Capello, he has not received a call-up until now, and it could well be a goodwill acknowledgement from the England boss rather than a genuine sign he will make the 23-man squad.
Adam Johnson
Before his big-money move to Manchester City from Middlesbrough in February, not one England World Cup squad prediction would have included the name “Adam Johnson”. Although he had earned himself a glowing reputation in the Championship, the 22-year-old winger still needed to prove himself in the Premier League before being considered for international honours. Since arriving at Eastlands, though, Johnson has enjoyed a fine start to life in the top-flight. Had England not been able to call upon the likes of Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon this summer, the left-footed right-sided winger would have stood a far greater chance of making the cut. However, Capello may feel this summer is a tournament too soon for the England under-21 international, who still stands a superb chance of becoming an England regular in the near future.
Shaun Wright-Phillips
After missing out on a place for England’s 2006 World Cup squad, history could be set to repeat itself on June 1st for Shaun Wright-Phillips. The Manchester City winger returned to Eastlands in 2008 in a bid for first-team football after being cast to one side at Chelsea, but has again found himself surplus to requirements in recent weeks thanks to the arrival of Adam Johnson. On his day, the diminutive 28-year-old is a match-winner, with the ability to beat opponents and score goals. Unfortunately for England, these days are rarer than they should be. Wright-Phillips is a player who relies on pace - but with two faster right-wingers also vying for a place in the 23-man squad, the Man City star looks set to suffer World Cup heartache for a second time.
Darren Bent
As the Englishman with the second-highest number of goals this season, Sunderland striker Darren Bent will have every reason to be bitterly disappointed if Capello omits him from his World Cup squad. With a hugely impressive 24 Premier League goals to his name this season, Bent has been a revelation since arriving at the Stadium of Light – and has quite possibly been the signing of the season. Despite this, there are still reservations over whether the 26-year-old can cut it on the international stage. Bent has five caps to his name and zero goals, a stat which may well give Capello cause for concern. However, the former Tottenham striker has never been given a fair crack of the whip with England and will hope to impress against Mexico and Japan to silence his critics once and for all. That’s if he gets the chance, of course.
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