Squad:

 

Robinson (Tottenham), Kirkland (Liverpool), Foster (Man Utd); Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Carragher (Liverpool), A Cole (Arsenal), Dawson (Tottenham), Ferdinand (Man Utd), G Neville (Man Utd), P Neville (Everton), Terry (capt, Chelsea), Young (Charlton); Downing (Middlesbrough), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jenas (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Richardson (Man Utd), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea); Ashton (West Ham), Bent (Charlton), Crouch (Liverpool), Defoe (Tottenham).

 

Already you can see the difference between Sven and McLaren as McLaren is using friendlies as an oppotunity to look at new players. Foster, Dawson and Ashton are all included in the England squad for the game against Greece, and theres a re-call for SWP as well, after Beckham was dropped

 

I'm glad Ashton's in the squad as he's a very good striker and was over-looked by Sven. -_-

So Bent is in the seniors afterall :o GREAT to see Richardson, Ashton and Dawson there ^_^

No David Beckham in the starting squad :o

He's just come back from injury ;) plus it's a friendly to try out new people, anyway Beckham is only useful for set pieces meanwhile Lennon can get past people..

He's said Beckam isn't in because of his injury, but that he has been dropped.

 

Though I'd be surprised if he doesn't win his 100th cap.

Personally I think that the injury has nothing to do with why Beckham has being dropped and its just an excuse. McLaren is obviously looking towards the next world cup already and has left out Campell and James who I highly doubt will be playing for England in four years time, but its only a friednly game and the whole ideas of friendlys are to try out now formations and players which is exactly what McLaren is doing now and its exactly what Sven didn't. -_-

Four years ago a new French manager who was a dubious choice, made a point of dropping (the then) 31 year-old Zinedine Zidane who had been heavily criticised in the 2002 World Cup from the French side, who did not play for them in the European Championship qualifiers.

 

After a string of poor performances, that manager was sacked, with the assistant manager taking over & Zinedine Zidane was recalled for the European Championship finals & of course he was their best player aged 35 in this year's World Cup.

 

Could this story sound familiar in a few years time for McLaren, Venables & Beckham?