Downing confused by Capello selections

In amongst all the discussion concerning the squad that Fabio Capello took to South Africa there was one man who was a little confused by missing out. Many people were shocked that Theo Walcott didn’t go and Emile Heskey and Shaun Wright-Phillips did, but I didn’t see much said about Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing.

Involved

As the only international class England wide player who can kick a ball with his left foot, I suppose he would have expected to be involved. Instead, he looked on as Shaun Wright-Phillips and Aaron Lennon were both taken, Theo Walcott was in the original squad and Steve Gerrard was totally wasted by playing him out on the left.

Downing has twenty-three full England caps and appeared at the 2006 World Cup. He had featured, when fit, in all of Fabio Capello’s squads and after a few months in the job Capello was quoted as saying that Downing was the player who had impressed him most.

Injury

After recovering from a serious injury that kept him out of football for a while, Downing played sixteen games for Aston Villa towards the end of the season and impressed. In fact, after just three of those comeback games Capello picked him for an England squad.

With all that in mind you would have expected Downing to be selected in the thirty man provisional squad. At least if he wasn’t, he could surely expect an explanation from the manager. Apparently not. Downing told the Sun newspaper,

“There were a few surprises in the thirty names picked. A lot of people who had not played were in the squad as were people out of form, but others were left out. It was a little bit strange and I was very disappointed as I thought, maybe, I had a chance to get in the thirty at least.

“He obviously has his reasons why, but the disappointing thing was I didn’t get told why I wasn’t in the squad. That’s his choice and there’s no point in moaning about it now. I was in the squads leading up to my foot injury. I recovered and he put me back in the squad after only three games. That was a great confidence boost. I then thought we’d had a good end to the season, the team was playing well.”

Although I wasn’t too surprised that Downing wasn’t included at the time, I suppose, looking at the facts, it does seem to be a very strange decision.

Criticised

In his early games for England Downing was often criticised for his performances with people pointing to his friendship with former club manager at Middlesbrough, Steve McClaren, as a reason for his inclusion.

After being selected by Capello, the third England manager to do so after Eriksson and McClaren, it seemed that Downing had started to win people over. His performances for England received more praise and the balance the team were given by having a left footed player playing on the left hand side was clear for all to see.

Sympathy

I don’t suppose Downing will have done his prospects of getting back into the England picture any good by describing Capello’s squad selection as ‘a little strange’, but you have to have some sympathy with his confusion.

At just twenty-five, Downing has plenty of time to come good and if he has an injury free season he will be hoping to be knocking on Capello’s door again.

It certainly would be a welcome relief if England could play a left sided player on the left hand side!