Neville questions Capello over right-back gamble

Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes England coach Fabio Capello has made a mistake by naming just one right-back in his provisional World Cup squad.

Capello has picked only Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson in England’s 30-man group which will gather at a training camp in Austria this week ahead of the start of the tournament in South Africa next month.

The Italian ignored Neville and his United team-mate Wes Brown in favour of adding Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher, who can fill in at full-back.

Neville, 35, is adamant Capello should have selected Brown as competition for Johnson and he said: “I wouldn’t say I’m overly disappointed not to be in the initial 30-man England World Cup squad.

“I thought there was a chance I could get in but I was under no illusions how tough it would be, after not being named in the squad for a year.

“I’m slightly surprised there is only one right-back in the entire squad, but I’m probably more surprised Wes Brown isn’t in the 30.”

Neville also claimed Capello was never likely to be able to persuade Paul Scholes to come out of retirement.

Veteran United midfielder Scholes quit international football in 2004, but Capello made an attempt to persuade him to change his mind earlier this month.

“Capello spoke to Paul but he retired a few years ago and he’s not the type to go back on that,” Neville added.

“I’m not surprised Capello tried to get him out of retirement because, if there is one player I would try to bring back, it is Scholes.

“Capello maybe got a bit desperate at the last minute and wanted Scholes because he is still probably the country’s best midfielder – but Scholes stuck to his guns.”