Fabio Capello will reveal the identify of the new England soccer captain - a straight choice between Rio Ferdinand and John Terry - and two of the men present at the announcement owe their inclusion to injuries.
Paul Robinson and Emile Heskey were added to the squad by
Capello because of Chris Kirkland's sore back and the cramp that forced Dean Ashton to be substituted for West Ham on Saturday after scoring two goals.
Capello was at Upton Park for that encounter and was sufficiently impressed by Heskey's contribution to call him into his squad, which faces the Czech Republic at Wembley on Thursday, for the first time since he starred in the 3-0 victory against Russia last September.
The news that Ashton would have been chosen ahead of him, as well as Heskey, will make depressing reading for Darren Bent - whose chances had been talked up during the week - but more relevantly for Peter Crouch, who has been left out for the first time since the Italian took over.
Although Capello remains an admirer of the Portsmouth striker, his poor contribution during the Community Shield match against Manchester United raised doubts in the manager's mind.
Given one of the main factors behind Crouch's exclusion appears to be his failure to combine effectively with Jermain Defoe, it would appear to indicate the latter, whose movement and predatory instinct has impressed Capello, will start against the Czechs.
The England coach has named 23 players for the friendly, including Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard even though both have thigh injuries.
Capello has been frustrated by the lack of fitness surrounding a number of key players and has also had to deal with the less than desired fact 13 of his squad were involved in games yesterday. However he also made clear during the summer he felt his team would be ready to face the Czechs.
The captaincy issue is one that has become an unnecessary distraction.
Ferdinand and Terry have both impressed Capello and it is understood to be a "50/50" decision between the two central defenders.
- INDEPENDENT
