What a load of ****ing Cockcustard they are, but its good to see Phil Jones getting the recognition he deserves
Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverley have been called up to the England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers with Bulgaria and Wales.
Jones, the 19-year-old defender who starred in Sunday's 8-2 annihilation of Arsenal at Old Trafford, was part of Fabio Capello's provisional squad for the friendly with Holland that was postponed earlier this month, but did not make the final cut.
However, along with fellow Red Devils youngsters Smalling and Cleverley, Jones has made it this time, helped by the absence of Rio Ferdinand, who has not played since injuring his hamstring at West Brom a fortnight ago.
Jones is part of a five-strong United presence, which would almost certainly have been bigger still had Danny Welbeck not been ruled out by a hamstring injury he suffered after opening the scoring in this afternoon's game.
The teenager has caught the eye since moving to Old Trafford from Blackburn, where old boss Sam Allardyce once described him as the best young player he had ever worked with.
Yet Smalling, who was a non-playing member of Capello's squad for the November friendly defeat by France and Cleverley, who was called up for the Holland game following the withdrawal of Jack Wilshere and Michael Carrick through injury, have been only marginally less impressive.
Club-mates Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young were always likely to be selected.
Indeed, Manchester's growing position as the powerbase of English football is emphasised by the addition of six members of the Manchester City squad that crushed Tottenham in equally emphatic style at White Hart Lane.
In total, there are six changes from the Holland game, with Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe recalled, plus Arsenal's Theo Walcott, who was critical of Capello's management style in his recently-published autobiography.
Amongst those who miss out are Peter Crouch, who is set to join Stoke this week, and Kyle Walker, who has been overtaken by Smalling for the right-back role.
"Smalling has improved a lot," said Capello, speaking on Friday. "He has played with confidence. When he goes forward he doesn't play with fear.
"I remember him as a centre-back but he is a really interesting player in this position."
"As for Phil Jones has very much a look of a young Paulo Maldini and I think he is destined to be one of the world's great defenders"
Capello intended to hand Cleverley his first full cap against Holland.
Like Smalling and Jones, he has graduated from the England Under-21 ranks since this summer's European Championships.
However, with points in Sofia on Friday and at Wembley the following Tuesday crucial to England's hopes of qualifying considering they are level with Montenegro at the head of Group G with three matches remaining, Smalling appears the most likely to start.
The major selection dilemma appears to be who will partner Rooney in attack given neither Bent nor Liverpool's Andy Carroll have been in the best of form so far this season.
Defoe started alongside Rooney against Bulgaria 12 months ago and responded with a hat-trick in an impressive 4-0 win.
That memory may play on Capello's mind, although the 28-year-old has not scored for his country since.
England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifying matches against Bulgaria and Wales next month: Hart, Green, Stockdale; A Cole, Cahill, Terry, Baines. Jagielka, Smalling, Jones, Richards, Lescott; Downing, Barry, Johnson, Milner, Lampard, Cleverley, A Young, Parker, Walcott; Bent, Carroll, Rooney, Defoe.
Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverley have been called up to the England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers with Bulgaria and Wales.
Jones, the 19-year-old defender who starred in Sunday's 8-2 annihilation of Arsenal at Old Trafford, was part of Fabio Capello's provisional squad for the friendly with Holland that was postponed earlier this month, but did not make the final cut.
However, along with fellow Red Devils youngsters Smalling and Cleverley, Jones has made it this time, helped by the absence of Rio Ferdinand, who has not played since injuring his hamstring at West Brom a fortnight ago.
Jones is part of a five-strong United presence, which would almost certainly have been bigger still had Danny Welbeck not been ruled out by a hamstring injury he suffered after opening the scoring in this afternoon's game.
The teenager has caught the eye since moving to Old Trafford from Blackburn, where old boss Sam Allardyce once described him as the best young player he had ever worked with.
Yet Smalling, who was a non-playing member of Capello's squad for the November friendly defeat by France and Cleverley, who was called up for the Holland game following the withdrawal of Jack Wilshere and Michael Carrick through injury, have been only marginally less impressive.
Club-mates Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young were always likely to be selected.
Indeed, Manchester's growing position as the powerbase of English football is emphasised by the addition of six members of the Manchester City squad that crushed Tottenham in equally emphatic style at White Hart Lane.
In total, there are six changes from the Holland game, with Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe recalled, plus Arsenal's Theo Walcott, who was critical of Capello's management style in his recently-published autobiography.
Amongst those who miss out are Peter Crouch, who is set to join Stoke this week, and Kyle Walker, who has been overtaken by Smalling for the right-back role.
"Smalling has improved a lot," said Capello, speaking on Friday. "He has played with confidence. When he goes forward he doesn't play with fear.
"I remember him as a centre-back but he is a really interesting player in this position."
"As for Phil Jones has very much a look of a young Paulo Maldini and I think he is destined to be one of the world's great defenders"
Capello intended to hand Cleverley his first full cap against Holland.
Like Smalling and Jones, he has graduated from the England Under-21 ranks since this summer's European Championships.
However, with points in Sofia on Friday and at Wembley the following Tuesday crucial to England's hopes of qualifying considering they are level with Montenegro at the head of Group G with three matches remaining, Smalling appears the most likely to start.
The major selection dilemma appears to be who will partner Rooney in attack given neither Bent nor Liverpool's Andy Carroll have been in the best of form so far this season.
Defoe started alongside Rooney against Bulgaria 12 months ago and responded with a hat-trick in an impressive 4-0 win.
That memory may play on Capello's mind, although the 28-year-old has not scored for his country since.
England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifying matches against Bulgaria and Wales next month: Hart, Green, Stockdale; A Cole, Cahill, Terry, Baines. Jagielka, Smalling, Jones, Richards, Lescott; Downing, Barry, Johnson, Milner, Lampard, Cleverley, A Young, Parker, Walcott; Bent, Carroll, Rooney, Defoe.
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