Kevin Davies is one of eight English players to have (in a single transfer) cost over £7 million and never represented their country at senior level. This list includes Nigel Reo Coker, Anton Ferdinand, Curtis Davies, Carl Cort, Dean Richards, and Manchester United's Chris Smalling. That little statistic could be about to change, because Fabio Capello has called the thirty-three year old up for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro next Tuesday. Whilst the call-up has come about because of a number of injuries to strikers such as Bobby Zamora and Gabriel Agbonlahor, as well as Emile Heskey refusing to come out of international retirement, it still shows Davies' continued quality into his thirties, as Capello has obviously been watching him and been impressed.
Robert Green has also been included in the squad. The unlucky 'keeper whom fumbled a shot for England against the USA in the World Cup, and received a lot of grief as a result, will be pleased that Capello, can put that behind him. Although Green probably will not play, the call up will still be a boost to his confidence, which, of late has been quite low.Rooney has kept his place in the squad, despite concerns over his physical fitness and mental state after niggling injuries on the pitch, and his very public private life off it. However, Rooney and Davies' inclusion means that the promising young striker, Andy Carroll, who is playing - and scoring for Newcastle, has been overlooked. Maybe Capello doesn't like his hair? But whatever the reason, at only 21 years old, Carroll has plenty of time to climb the ranks and create himself a spot in the England squad of the future.
The Full England Squad is Below:
Goalkeepers: Ben Foster (Birmingham City), Robert Green (West Ham United), Joe Hart (Manchester City)
Defenders: Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa)
Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Joe Cole (Liverpool), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham Hotspur), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Kevin Davies (Bolton Wanderers), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
