Eriksson turns to Carragher

By Trevor Haylett

Ledley King of Tottenham Hotspur FC and Jamie Carragher of Liverpool FC were named in the England squad for UEFA EURO 2004™ today as Sven-Göran Eriksson sought cover for his defensive absentees. Otherwise the coach has chosen those players who have been regulars in his team for the past two years.

Defoe excluded
With Eriksson deciding to take just four strikers to Portugal there is no place for Jermain Defoe who impressed on his debut against Sweden in March and whose goalscoring form for Tottenham had won him support. Like Gareth Southgate, who would almost certainly have been included in the 23-man squad had he not encountered injury problems, Defoe is listed among six stand-by players.

Cole chance
In midfield, Joe Cole is preferred to his Chelsea FC team-mate Scott Parker. There is no place for Manchester United FC's talented young defender Wes Brown while the third goalkeeping berth goes to Leicester City FC's Ian Walker.

Coach confident
Eriksson said he was happy with the balance of the group who will start their Group B campaign against holders France on 13 June. "Hopefully they will stay fit during the tournament and in that case we will have a very good team," he said. Could England emerge as champions? "Yes, why not, if the players are fit. You need luck to win tournaments and hopefully we will have that luck. If we stay fit I think we can do great things in Portugal. I hope so, I am very confident."

Defensive worries
The Swede said his hardest decisions concerned the defensive positions with Rio Ferdinand and Jonathan Woodgate ruled out, Southgate a serious doubt and Brown still working his way back to full fitness. He then explained what had persuaded him to turn to King, who scored on his only start in a senior international, against Portugal in February, and Carragher.

Praise for duo
"Ledley King is a young man who has been playing very well, especially at centre-half, while Carragher can play everywhere in the back line. He is a useful player, an honest player and he will always stand up and fight for you."

Warm-up matches
Defoe will travel to the pre-tournament training camp in Sardinia and stay with the squad for the two warm-up games against Japan and Iceland in Manchester in early June. That will lead to conjecture that the Tottenham striker might yet get a late call for Portugal should he impress.

Still a chance
Eriksson said that with the final deadline for squad announcements coming on 2 June, Middlesbrough FC captain Southgate also had the opportunity to prove his fitness after a knee injury but added: "I don't think we will change it at all but we do have the chance to do so."

Striking options
The coach also explained that he decided against taking a fifth forward because of the versatility of his midfield players. "We have Kieron Dyer and Joe Cole and both of them are able to play as a second striker so I think we are covered."

Gerrard praise
He believes it is a stronger squad than that which took part in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and crucially his major players are not dogged by injury which was the case two years ago. Steven Gerrard was ruled out for the entire tournament on that occasion and Eriksson stressed the importance of the Liverpool FC midfield player. "He's one of the important players we have, a world-class player who can play in different positions in the midfield."

England squad

Goalkeepers
David James (Manchester City FC)
Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur FC)
Ian Walker (Leicester City FC)

Defenders
Gary Neville (Manchester United FC)
Phillip Neville (Manchester United FC)
Wayne Bridge (Chelsea FC)
Ashley Cole (Arsenal FC)
Sol Campbell (Arsenal FC)
John Terry (Chelsea FC)
Jamie Carragher (Liverpool FC)
Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur FC)

Midfielders
Nicky Butt (Manchester United FC)
Kieron Dyer (Newcastle United FC)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC)
Paul Scholes (Manchester United FC)
David Beckham (Real Madrid CF)
Owen Hargreaves (FC Bayern München)
Joe Cole (Chelsea FC)

Forwards
Michael Owen (Liverpool FC)
Emile Heskey (Liverpool FC)
Wayne Rooney (Everton FC)
Darius Vassell (Aston Villa FC)