Players omitted from England U21 squad

[ant london]

named to play Uzbekistan next Tuesday night....ie the same night that the senior squad will be playing Hungary

Adam Johnson
Theo Walcott
Jack Wilshire
Micah Richards
Kieron Gibbs

Much as he polarises opinion amongst some I really do think that Micah is worth a place in the squad....especially if Capello wants to blood this "next generation" seriously.



England manager Fabio Capello is to recall both Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott for next week's friendly against Hungary and may also select the young Arsenal pair of Jack Wilshere and Kieron Gibbs as he seeks to inject fresh life into the side that flopped so badly at the World Cup.

David James will be dropped from the squad, though, and the veteran goalkeeper, who celebrated his 40th birthday last Sunday, looks set to be the highest profile casualty of England's poor showing in South Africa, despite having started three of the four games in the tournament.

Walcott was rather surprisingly omitted from the final 23-man squad for the World Cup after starting both of the two warm-up games against Mexico and Japan. He was reported to have angered Capello with his performances in those matches but will be handed a rapid chance to redeem himself.

There may also be places in the squad for Wilshere and Gibbs, although that will depend on how many of Capello's regular players are withdrawn by their clubs over the weekend. Wilshere, Gibbs, Walcott, Johnson and defender Micah Richards were all yesterday left out of the England Under-21 squad to face Uzbekistan in a friendly at Bristol City's Ashton Gate on Tuesday night.

James's place in the squad is to be taken by Ben Foster, who moved from Manchester United to Birmingham City in May for £6m after growing frustrated at the lack of first-team opportunities at Old Trafford. Foster, 27, has four England caps and will join Robert Green and Joe Hart in the squad.

James is not the only member of England's World Cup squad who is likely to be omitted against Hungary. Emile Heskey of Aston Villa announced his retirement from international football last month, while Liverpool's Jamie Carragher and his fellow defender Ledley King of Tottenham Hotspur are also set to miss out.

King's Tottenham team-mate Michael Dawson looks certain to step into the squad, while Fulham striker Bobby Zamora, who was in the running for the initial World Cup squad but then succumbed to an Achilles injury, could also be called up.

Capello's decision to leave out James, who recently signed a one-year deal with Championship side Bristol City, effectively brings his England career to an end after 13 years. James had recently expressed his hope that he might be able to continue with England despite dropping to the Championship. Last weekend he said: "I'll never retire from England, and hopefully my performances at Bristol City will keep me on the radar."

Capello and his assistant Franco Baldini are to watch six of the top seven teams in England in a whistle-stop tour of the leading clubs this week before the England squad meets up.

Capello is expected to watch Liverpool play FK Rabotnicki at Anfield in the Europa League tonight, and then tomorrow he will travel to Aston Villa to observe their friendly with Valencia. On Saturday Capello and Baldini will watch two games between them, with one heading to White Hart Lane to see Tottenham take on Fiorentina and the other travelling to Eastlands for Manchester City's friendly with Valencia.

The England squad for the Hungary game is announced on Saturday evening. On Sunday Capello will be at Wembley to see Chelsea play Manchester United in the Community Shield.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

It's bit ridiculous that Micah has been left out. While his form has been on and off, he is still among the better players in his age group and there are few players with as much experience. Then again, Lee Cattermole has been left out as well and in his place there's Marc Albrighton who "I caught at the end of last seasons and Steve Wigley saw again this season".

Pearce is a clown as far as football management goes, that should come as no suprise to anyone.

[ant london]

It's bit ridiculous that Micah has been left out. While his form has been on and off, he is still among the better players in his age group and there are few players with as much experience. Then again, Lee Cattermole has been left out as well and in his place there's Marc Albrighton who "I caught at the end of last seasons and Steve Wigley saw again this season".

Pearce is a clown as far as football management goes, that should come as no suprise to anyone.

I think the thought is that Micah may have been left out because Capello is going to pick him to play, on the same night, for the senior side

that was my point?!

agreed though re Pearce....he can be cute....but he really is clueless

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

It's bit ridiculous that Micah has been left out. While his form has been on and off, he is still among the better players in his age group and there are few players with as much experience. Then again, Lee Cattermole has been left out as well and in his place there's Marc Albrighton who "I caught at the end of last seasons and Steve Wigley saw again this season".

Pearce is a clown as far as football management goes, that should come as no suprise to anyone.

I think the thought is that Micah may have been left out because Capello is going to pick him to play, on the same night, for the senior side

that was my point?!

agreed though re Pearce....he can be cute....but he really is clueless

I'd be really surprised if Micah is picked for the senior side.

[ant london]

I'd be really surprised if Micah is picked for the senior side.

I am surprised he's been omitted from the U21s

But on the basis that he is playing for us pre-season, not being currently injured...and it not looking like he's being shipped out (ie. Mancini must rate him to a certain extent) there is only one rational explanation for him not being omitted from the 21s

[edgeley blue]

we could have quite a few players in that squad

Joe Hart
Micah Richards
Joleon Lescott
Gareth Barry
SWP
Adam Johnson

And if we sign him

James Milner

would that be a record for City, I' sure it would be

[ian494]

we could have quite a few players in that squad

Joe Hart
Micah Richards
Joleon Lescott
Gareth Barry
SWP
Adam Johnson

And if we sign him

James Milner

would that be a record for City, I' sure it would be

My feeling is that sweep will be swept out (see what I did there) with the old guard

[Florida Blue]

It's bit ridiculous that Micah has been left out. While his form has been on and off, he is still among the better players in his age group and there are few players with as much experience. Then again, Lee Cattermole has been left out as well and in his place there's Marc Albrighton who "I caught at the end of last seasons and Steve Wigley saw again this season".

Pearce is a clown as far as football management goes, that should come as no suprise to anyone.

I think the thought is that Micah may have been left out because Capello is going to pick him to play, on the same night, for the senior side

that was my point?!

agreed though re Pearce....he can be cute....but he really is clueless

I'd be really surprised if Micah is picked for the senior side.

Surprise to us, but I suspect not to most outside of City. The talent is there, the fire is not, maybe Fabs can set it aflame.

[Wooders]

isn't he too old for the U21's? i.e by the time the comp starts he won't be eligible ?

[ant london]

isn't he too old for the U21's? i.e by the time the comp starts he won't be eligible ?

Dunno what the rules are mate but it wasn't me who wrote the article and a similar vein re players omitted has been run elsewhere and also included Micah so he must be eligible still.

[Dubciteh]

England also have no right backs, there all useless so as bad as micah is(bet he would be a star at any club like most our players) he is best of a bad bunch and if capello is serious about starting fresh he needs him in the squad.

[Dubciteh]

On a side note woldnt it be intresting if england did a "france" on it and dropped every member of the WC squad, bet youd still have good squad and would prob look a better team than the "team" that showed up at theWC

[Wooders]

isn't he too old for the U21's? i.e by the time the comp starts he won't be eligible ?

Dunno what the rules are mate but it wasn't me who wrote the article and a similar vein re players omitted has been run elsewhere and also included Micah so he must be eligible still.

well he's 22 now for a start !

[Wooders]

On a side note woldnt it be intresting if england did a "france" on it and dropped every member of the WC squad, bet youd still have good squad and would prob look a better team than the "team" that showed up at theWC

I definately think this should happen - brazil did something similair

[Beefymcfc]

On a side note woldnt it be intresting if england did a "france" on it and dropped every member of the WC squad, bet youd still have good squad and would prob look a better team than the "team" that showed up at theWC

I definately think this should happen - brazil did something similair

They only kept 4 from the WC, one of them being our very own Robbie. I don't think we'll do it the same way but will try to blood the younger lads first using games like this.

[john@staustell]

isn't he too old for the U21's? i.e by the time the comp starts he won't be eligible ?

Dunno what the rules are mate but it wasn't me who wrote the article and a similar vein re players omitted has been run elsewhere and also included Micah so he must be eligible still.

well he's 22 now for a start !

My thought exactly. Talk about conspiracy theories!

[ronk]

isn't he too old for the U21's? i.e by the time the comp starts he won't be eligible ?

Dunno what the rules are mate but it wasn't me who wrote the article and a similar vein re players omitted has been run elsewhere and also included Micah so he must be eligible still.

Yeah, but who did write it?

[ryanmjo]

I think the rules allow players to play U-21s if they were 21 or under when the qualification cycle started.

[the_georgian_genius]

If Richards makes the full england squad then it just shows how bad England are.

[ant london]

isn't he too old for the U21's? i.e by the time the comp starts he won't be eligible ?

Dunno what the rules are mate but it wasn't me who wrote the article and a similar vein re players omitted has been run elsewhere and also included Micah so he must be eligible still.

Yeah, but who did write it?

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 43595.html