No room for Ferdinand or Gerrard as Capello snubs the old guard ahead of Euro qualifier
FORMER England captain Rio Ferdinand has been left out of England’s squad for the Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro on Friday.
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard, only recently fit again following six months out with groin trouble, has also been overlooked.
Gerrard had confessed he was short of fitness ahead of the squad announcement but Ferdinand was expected to be included after shaking off the hamstring strain he suffered at West Brom in August.
Capello has opted to retain Gary Cahill, who scored against Bulgaria last month, despite Bolton’s poor form this season and Ferdinand’s club colleague Phil Jones, but there is no place for Manchester City’s Joleon Lescott.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Andy Carroll, Fulham’s Bobby Zamora and Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck are among the forwards, with no place for Jermain Defoe.
Zamora’s only previous cap came in a friendly against Hungary in August last year, after which he was sidelined after suffering a broken leg the following month.
The former Spurs and West Ham target man did return as a substitute for the June qualifier with Switzerland but did not play.
Carroll, who scored his first Premier League goal of the season in Saturday’s Merseyside derby victory for Liverpool over Everton, and Zamora are joined by Aston Villa’s Darren Bent and Wayne Rooney.
Another United player, midfielder Ashley Young, is named in the squad despite being left out against Norwich to rest an ankle injury.
Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and Manchester City duo Adam Johnson and James Milner will provide competition on the flanks, while Tottenham’s north London derby match-winner Kyle Walker has earned another call-up.
CAPELLO’S MEN | ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Scott Carson, Joe Hart, David Stockdale.
Defenders: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Phil Jagielka, Phil Jones, Micah Richards, John Terry, Kyle Walker. Midfielders Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young.
Strikers: Darren Bent, Andy Carroll, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Bobby Zamora.