Recalled if merited

Recently, following Michael Owen's arrival, Peter Crouch has been pretty vocal about the partnership that the two strikers could form at club level and how he feels this could be reunited at international level?

Fair enough 'if' - and that is a big if - they can form a constant partnership at The Britannia Stadium you cannot rule out England recalls for the pair. Owen would seem far, far less likely though to be honest...

Although Roy Hodgson has looked to clarify the situation with Crouch, insisting that he will only be recalled if he 'merits' a place in his 23-man squads.

The thought that 'personal motives' were behind his decision not to select the 31-year-old have been dismissed with him confirming that Crouch, as rumours suggested, had refused to be on standby for Euro 2012.

Hodgson will recall Crouch if he feels he warrants this: 'I did try to sign him at Fulham and I selected him for the Euros as well.

'He was on a stand-by list but he made it clear that, unless he was in the squad, he didn't want to be considered.

'I'm not going to bring him in to fill up the bench.

'The day Crouch gets into an England squad is when I think he should be in the original 23.'

Many might have thought Crouch would have been recalled this season, or at least called-up, following injuries to other strikers in this squad but in continuing with his philosophy if Hodgson feels he still has enough cover in his original squad he likes to turn to younger players to give them a taste of international football, like the case of Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana on Monday.

I like Crouchy, I always have, but do not like the thought that anyone would not make themselves available for selection, stand-by or not, and whilst Hodgson says it is not personal he must be a little irked by this decision back along?

To be fair the season is only a few weeks old, if Crouch starts banging the goals in regularly for Stoke and is performing well I have little doubt he would be turned to again, so as Hodgson says he will be 'recalled if merited' and that is fair enough for me...

Vital England on:

Vital England on:

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