Does Fabio Capello Need To Get Jamie Carragher To Come Out of Retirement?

There are many things in the world that $7,000,000 can buy you. However a year's worth of service from England manager Fabio Capello is not one of them. The English FA fork out more than a whopping $8 million to Capello yearly and the expectation behind them multi-million incentives is the World Cup.

Capello will travel to South Africa this coming summer and bringing home the trophy is the only thing that will justify his wages.

Under Capello England breezed through the group stages. They qualified with some ease and scored 34 goals, the most of any team during the European qualifying group stages. Spain were the closest to them six behind on 28.

Despite England's presence going forward when England have meet opposition that they would likely face in the latter stages of the tournament they have failed to impress.

A 1-0 loss to Brazil and 2-0 defeat by Spain resulted in questions over England's defense. Their most recent game against Egypt also brought criticism due to their first-half performance.

With injuries building up along with off the field issues should Capello look to Liverpool's defense anchor?

Jamie Carragher retired from international football in July of 2007. Then England manager Steve McClaren was said to have tried to convince Jamie to come out of retirement but Carragher refused.

Carragher was said to be unhappy with the lack of first-team opportunities.

Going into the World Cup with heavy expectation England could do with having every possible quality player available to them. England are one of the top three nations favored to win the World Cup, along with Brazil and Spain.

Fabio Capello will bring at least four centre-backs to South Africa, and when you look at the pool of centre-halfs available Jamie Carragher is just as good if not better.

John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Joleon Lescott, Matthew Upson, Ledley King, Phil Jagielka, and Gary Cahill (although he never made an appearance) have all been called-up to the England set-up in the last 12 months to play at centre-half.

Uncapped Gary Cahill suffered a blood clot in his arm that has ruled him out of the rest of the season, which by extension has ruled him out of a possible trip to South Africa.

Everton's Phil Jagielka is just returning after nine months out with a major knee injury. Jagielka has 10 games to prove his fitness and form to Fabio Capello if he is be recalled for the World Cup squad. As goof as Jagielka had played prior to his injury it would be a major risk to for England to take Jagielka with them.

Joleon Lescott suffered a knee injury that kept him out for two months back in December. He has struggled for fitness all season and has also struggled for form. 

Like the three previous players, injury is a major concern for Ledley King. The Tottenham captain has only managed to play in 50 percent of his clubs games. In the last three years King has played 43 of a possible 114 games for Spurs.

Matthew Upson has played in the majority of West Ham's games this season, however his mistake did cost England a goal during his recent call-up against Egypt which may have hurt his chances. Upson is very similar in play to John Terry who will most likely start for England during the World Cup.

The above five players have played less than 20 games for England and their inexperience may be seen as a weakness going into the World Cup.

A healthy Rio Ferdinand has a seat guaranteed on the plane to South Africa but the keyword is healthy. Ferdinand has played in just seven of United's league games this season. He has been fighting various injuries all season long and when fit he has suffered lapses in concentration which lead to goals, such as the chance he gave to Craig Bellamy while playing against rivals Manchester City.

John Terry is a defiant starter in the England back four once he is not struck by injury prior to the tournament. Terry's recent off field actions have been well documents as has the loss of captaincy.

Jamie Carragher has played in all but one of Liverpool's games this year. At the age of 32 he is still a rock at the heart of Liverpool's defense. Last year Carragher played in every league game.

Carragher still has what it takes to play at the top level in both domestic and European level, despite Liverpool's failings in the Champions League.

Carragher's old fashioned defending style and tough nosed attitude is just what England's defense needs going into the World Cup. England will be under more pressure this summer having more expectation on there shoulder than in previous years and Carragher is just the person to shoulder that pressure alongside John Terry and the other 21 players.