24 May 2011
Evening Standard
West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green has been called into the England squad for
the Euro 2012 qualifier with Switzerland. Only on Monday, Green had been
omitted after the Football Association claimed it had been decided not to
ask whether he wished to continue his international career until the August
friendly with Holland.
However, it has now been established Fulham's David Stockdale has a
personal issue - he is getting married on June 3 - which he has been allowed
to fulfil.
Although the final outcome represents good news for coach Fabio Capello, it
does appear rather haphazard.
Stockdale could hardly be blamed for arranging a wedding so close to a key
game which, in ordinary circumstances, he would not have expected to be
involved in.
It is thought he did offer to return to the England fold on matchday but
Capello felt that would be unfair to the 25-year-old. Presumably though it
would not have been that hard to find out Stockdale's plans before Capello's
squad was unveiled on Monday. That Green has responded positively to
Capello's SOS call is a boost for the Italian though given Ben Foster has
retired indefinitely from the England scene. Ground down by the trauma of
West Ham's ultimately failed relegation fight and awaiting the birth of his
first child, Green had asked not to be considered. However, the birth went
well. And although the Hammers' top-flight survival battle did not end
happily, Green felt sufficiently fresh to agree to join a squad that already
includes Joe Hart and Scott Carson.
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