Could Fabio Capello Look To Birmingham City for Surprise Call-Ups?

There's been a lot of clamour recently regarding the form of Fulham's Bobby Zamora and whether Fabio Capello should give him a look in England's next friendly international. Well, I'd like to add Birmingham City's on-loan goalkeeper Joe Hart and central defender Roger Johnson into the mix, too.

Having won 20 points out of the last 24, including five wins on the bounce, and boasting one of the tightest defences in the Premier League, isn't it about time Mr Capello paid a visit to St Andrews?

Joe Hart is one for the future. At only 23, he's still learning the game but by now playing regular top-flight football he's progressing at such a rate that Birmingham's manager Alex McLeish is convinced that he should be on the plane to South Africa. Hart has been involved in the squad before but having looked at the other options perhaps it is time to give him a chance.

With David James struggling for fitness, Man Utd's Ben Foster confined to the substitutes bench, and Wigan's Chris Kirkland prone to injury, there's only Paul Robinson of Blackburn and Wet Ham's Rob Green who look certain to go to the World Cup.

As it stands, Hart is the only English goalkeeper playing regular football in the top half of the table, so why not take him as the third choice goalkeeper?

On to Roger Johnson, the strong silent leader at the heart of Birmingham's defence. The recent run of form is largely due in part to his partnership with Scott Dann at the back, and has earned praise from all corners of the media. Again, given his age, he might be one for the future, possibly as replacement for John Terry.

With England's defence looking decidedly dodgy if Terry and Ferdinand are absent, Capello should be looking at a player who has consistently performed at the highest level against the big teams in the Premier League this season, not considering players who are playing in struggling sides, for example Matthew Upson or Bolton's Gary Cahill.

Capello has even tried to convince Jamie Carragher to come out of international retirement recently, despite Carragher and Liverpool having a very indifferent season so far.

There's the argument that these players, with the exception of Cahill, have played international football before and Johnson doesn't have much top-flight experience, but Capello has always stipulated that he picks his squad based on form and with Birmingham City sitting at the top of the form table at the moment what higher recognition is there?