Euro 2012: An Alternate England Team

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England should be applauded for keeping out an exiting French side in their first group match and holding onto a point.

They have had a horrible lead-up to the tournament, taking on a new manager and missing an array of players.

They now need to focus on upcoming games and get as far as they can in the tournament. 

If results go their way, there is no telling how far they can get.

Here is a look at 11 players who could have made the squad but didn't as a result of injury, bad luck or a lack of playing time.

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Goalkeeper Ben Foster

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In my opinion, former Red Devil keeper Ben Foster is the only goalkeeper in England who comes anywhere near Joe Hart.

In recent seasons, Foster has had a rather harsh fall from grace and has left international football indefinitely in order to focus on his club football. 

This is a real shame because realistically there is a quite a steep drop between Hart and Robert Green, and subsequently little pressure on the Manchester City No. 1.

At 29 years of age, there is still plenty of time for Foster to return to the international scene, and I for one would love to see the acrobatic Foster pressuring Hart for national honours.  

RB: Kyle Walker

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Unfortunately, injury ruled the impressive Kyle Walker out of Euro 2012 after a tremendous season with Tottenham.

As a result, there is no real pressure on Glen Johnson, who has shown pretty consistently that he can be lacking in defensive knowledge at certain times.  

Walker provided Tottenham with more versatility than Croatian counterpart Vedran Corluka and was a useful attacking outlet.

I personally believe that Walker should be starting ahead of Johnson. It is a real shame to see the 22-year-old miss the tournament. 

CB: Micah Richards

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The exclusion of Micah Richards from the Euro 2012 squad is nothing short of a complete disgrace.

Richards is fast and strong in the air, playing an important part in Manchester City's title charge.

While Richards prefers to play as a right-back, I would have him in the middle to inject some pace into a traditionally slow back line.

Overall, excluding Micah Richards goes completely against the policy of picking players on form. Now that Gary Cahill is out, England need to rely on John Terry and Joleon Lescott as their only top-class central defenders. 

CB: Gary Cahill

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When Gary Cahill collided with Joe Hart, many saw England's Euro hope take a real plunge.

For years, Cahill had been tipped to join a bigger club and finally he joined Chelsea and was a member of the 2012 Champions League-winning team.

This kind of experience coupled with his club partnership with John Terry put forward one of the strongest English back lines in recent memory.

Unfortunately, this was cut short prior to competition and Cahill has since been sent home.

I believe Lescott is a capable deputy. However, England will miss the Champions League experience that Cahill could have brought to the side. 

LB: Kieran Gibbs

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At one stage, it looked as if Kieran Gibbs could possibly pip Ashley Cole to the Euro 2012 starting position. However, injury setbacks saw the young wing-back miss the cut.

While Leighton Baines is a superior defender and has a great ability from set-pieces, Kieran Gibbs is more of a like-for-like replacement for Cole in the future. 

England are somewhat short of quality left-backs. so Kieran Gibbs has little competition in years to come as Baines and Cole move toward retirement. 

Gibbs will look to rebuild with Arsenal in the 2013 season and work toward securing a first-team place for both club and country. 

RM: Aaron Lennon

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James Milner can count his lucky stars to have been selected ahead of Aaron Lennon, who provides the pace of Theo Walcott combined with an ability to cross and shoot.

James Milner has looked flat on the right and is more suited to a central role. There is debate as to whether he is a better option than Walcott, who can sometimes disregard his defensive duties.

Walcott looked great against Sweden. However, he often is a little too inconsistent to be relied on. 

While Aaron Lennon has a relatively poor season with Tottenham, he has shown his ability on the world stage and should be tearing defences apart with the rest of the England squad.  

CM: Jack Rodwell

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Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell was unlucky to miss out on a supporting role to Jordan Henderson.

Both have not had the most amazing season. However, Rodwell played well in his international debut against Spain.

Jack Rodwell will be a name that we will hear for many years to come, but he will still be disappointed not to have been featured.

For several seasons now, Rodwell has been linked to a bigger club (Manchester United), and he will look to the success of Ashley Young as a potential draw-card to transfer.

I believe Rodwell deserved a place in the squad ahead of Henderson. One day we may be watching the pair hold the English midfield together. 

CM: Tom Huddlestone

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A player who has fallen off the horse in recent seasons, Tom Huddlestone will surely leave Tottenham and resurrect his career elsewhere.

At 25 years of age, the time to deliver is now.

Huddlestone has been unlucky, sitting behind the incredibly talented duo of Luka Modric and Scott Parker for a starting place.

With Modric likely to leave Tottenham, Huddlestone will look to forge an all-English midfield with Parker. 

Huddlestone has a great passing and shooting range. He still has a chance to go far. 

LM: Adam Johnson

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Adam Johnson was edged out of the England squad by upcoming Arsenal starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Liverpool's Stewart Downing.

Johnson is another who could be looking to find a new club after failing to cement a place at Manchester City.

Johnson is an exiting player who can provide both goals and assists. 

With regular football we will see a great deal more from Johnson. He certainly has the potential to call the left wing his own. 

CAM/CF: Jack Wilshere

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Young Jack Wilshere has put in some amazing performances in an Arsenal shirt, showing maturity well beyond his years. 

His display against Barcelona in the Champions League was nothing short of breathtaking. If he was not injured, he would surely be featured heavily in England's campaign. 

Thankfully, England have Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker holding the midfield together. However, other than these two, there is little depth in that position.

We have a great deal to look forward to from Wilshere. While he has been missed at Euro 2012, you can almost guarantee that he will be a regular in the England side for years to come. 

Alongside the likes of Danny Welbeck and Ashley Young, Jack Wilshere is part of the next generation. 

ST: Daniel Sturridge

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In the early stages of the season, striker Daniel Sturridge was almost a complete certainty to be in the England squad for Euro 2012.

Unfortunately for him, new manager Roberto Di Matteo did not favour him and subsequently he lost his starting place.

As a result, Sturridge was overlooked by Roy Hodgson and is now watching Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck play in a position that was looking almost certain to be his.

There is plenty of time left for Sturridge, and he has hinted at a change in club to find regular football.

Should Gareth Bale leave Tottenham, Sturridge would be a definite possibility and would surely jump at a chance for regular football and to link up with English teammates like Jermain Defoe.