England Squad Preview: Capello Ready to Name Provisional World Cup Squad

Fabio Capello will announce his 30-man provisional World Cup squad tomorrow.

The chosen players will travel to Austria for an initial week long training camp after the FA Cup Final next weekend.

They will return home for a friendly against Mexico at Wembley on Monday, 24 May, before heading back out to Austria for a final warm-up match against Japan on Sunday, 30 May.

Fabio Capello will then name his final 23-man squad for the World Cup by Tuesday, 1 June, before England are due to fly out to South Africa the next day.

The easiest decision that Fabio Capello will have to make this month is probably that of which three goalkeepers to select.

There is a common consensus that Rob Green, David James, and Joe Hart will be the three stoppers picked as there were for the most recent friendly against Egypt in March.

Only the order of preference remains to be decided.

It remains unclear whether Capello will name a fourth goalkeeper in his provisional squad. If so it will most likely be either Paul Robinson or Ben Foster.

Robinson has been in increasingly good form at Blackburn in contrast to Foster who has only featured once in the league for Manchester United since October, although he did start England’s last game of 2009 against Brazil.

In reality there is little need to name a fourth goalkeeper as the three places should be all but decided.  However, either Robinson or Foster may well be told to remain on standby just in case an injury befalls a goalkeeper as happened to Rob Green just prior to the last World Cup.

It will be in defence where the England manager arguably has the most options.

Rio Ferdinand returned for Manchester United against Stoke on Sunday, but Capello will be keen to run his eye over the new England captain in training to ensure that their 31-year old defender is sufficiently recovered from the injuries which have seen him restricted to just 12 starts in the Premier League this season.

Capello will have been buoyed by the return to form of former captain John Terry, but much has already been written about who will be taken as possible understudies to the first choice centre back pairing.

The English press seem fairly unanimous that Ledley King has been assured of his place in the provisional squad.

The Tottenham skipper’s injury problems are already well documented, but his form and influence cannot be ignored and it's expected that Capello will select him tomorrow so as to have a better and longer time to think about the merits of his inclusion in the final squad.

Also highly anticipated in the press over the weekend was the possible return to international football of Jamie Carragher.

The Liverpool defender retired from England duty in 2007, but it is believed that Capello has all but convinced the 32-year old to return and offer top experience both as cover at centre-back and also at right-back.

If Carragher is convinced to return after three years away, then he will be certain of a place in the final 23-man squad if named in the initial group tomorrow as he would be extremely unlikely to go back on his decision otherwise.

Before the recent talk of King and Carragher, Matt Upson had previously been Capello’s preferred choice of cover in the centre of defence, the West Ham man filling in for Ferdinand in four of the qualifying games.

Upson’s form, like that of his club, has not been as great as expected, but he has won 12 caps under Capello and it’s unlikely that the Italian would abandon him now, although naturally his place in the final squad would be under severe threat if King and Carragher do join the party.

Of the alternative options in central defence Joleon Lescott looks likely to miss out due to injury. The Manchester City defender hasn’t featured since mid-March, missing the last 10 games with a hamstring injury.

The other names in the frame are primarily Michael Dawson and Phil Jagielka, with at least one likely to make the provisional squad, possibly both depending on the outcome of the Carragher decision.

Gary Cahill and Ryan Shawcross are outside bets, and Arsenal’s Sol Campbell could also be included in that bracket.

In terms of fullbacks Capello should go with Ashley Cole backed up by Leighton Baines on the left, with a possible place in the provisional squad for Stephen Warnock depending on how convinced the Italian is by Baines.

The right-hand side is more problematic with only Glen Johnson certain to be named tomorrow.

Usual deputy Wes Brown has been out of action for over two months since breaking his foot at Wolves in early March, and hasn’t appeared for Manchester United since.

It is now up to Capello and his medical staff to decide upon whether Brown would be fit enough for the start of the World Cup in one month’s time.

Brown’s place may well be covered in the eventuality of Jamie Carragher’s return, but if the Liverpool man stands firm on his international retirement then Capello may be forced to look to Brown’s club teammate Gary Neville, although Phil Jagielka is also capable of filling in at right-back if also selected.

Neville has only been selected in one previous squad by Capello, and not yet capped under the Italian, winning the last of his 85 caps for the Three Lions in 2007.

However, Neville has performed well for Manchester United in their title run in, and would be the only specialist right-back available to cover for Johnson other than Micah Richards who has had an injury ravaged second half of the season, and has also never been capped by Capello.

In midfield, much will depend on Gareth Barry’s progress in his return from an ankle injury which is expected to keep him out for three more weeks with England’s first game in one month.

Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and James Milner are all assured of their place in the provisional squad and on the plane to South Africa.

Barry’s usual understudy has been Michael Carrick, although the Manchester United midfielder has found himself out of favour of late at Old Trafford, starting none of the last seven Premier League matches.

Carrick should still make at least the provisional squad, as should Tom Huddlestone who won his one and only cap in the November defeat to Brazil last year, but has steadily improved throughout the season.

Owen Hargreaves, Jermaine Jenas, and Scott Parker are the long-shot options for Capello in central midfield.

Hargreaves made a 30 second cameo appearance for his first appearance in 19 months for Manchester against Sunderland two weeks ago, and his inclusion would be more controversial than that of both King and Carragher combined.

Jenas hasn’t completed a match for Spurs since January as he has suffered from almost continuous injuries whereas Parker has performed ably despite West Ham’s struggles, but has only ever been called up once by Capello, and even then it was as a replacement squad member back in 2008.

In terms of the wide roles, both Aaron Lennon and Theo Walcott, fitness permitting, are almost certain to go, and will be expected to provide the side’s pace down the right flank.

Also fighting for places on both wings are Ashley Young, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson, Joe Cole, and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Expect all but one or two of the above to be named tomorrow in the provisional selection with perhaps one spot up for grabs in the final squad for whoever can best grasp their opportunity in both training and the two friendlies.

Up front Wayne Rooney will naturally be named; only two broken legs could now prevent Capello from naming him in his squad, although he is expected to shake off his latest groin injury to be fully fit in time for the start of the World Cup.

Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch will both make it, and certainly make the cut to go to South Africa.

Emile Heskey is also expected to make the final 23 although despite his performances during qualifying.  His place is less clear cut given his lack of minutes and goals for Aston Villa of late.

Two or three from Gabriel Agbonlahor, Darren Bent, Carlton Cole, and Bobby Zamora should also make the provisional squad.

However, Capello is likely to only take four forwards in his final squad to South Africa so all will have their work cut out to make the final cut.