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Capello issues SOS call to Carragher

Jamie Carragher is considering a return to international football © Getty Images

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Jamie Carragher is considering coming out of international retirement for the World Cup while Ledley King is now almost certain of a place in next week's 30-man England squad.

Carragher, 32, decided to retire from international duty to concentrate on Liverpool in 2007 when it was clear John Terry and Rio Ferdinand would be the long-term central pairing in England's defence. Carragher did not want to spend time in the England camp as a perennial replacement or makeshift full back.

However, Fabio Capello has now asked Carragher to reconsider his decision and he has indicated that he would consider coming out of international retirement for the tournament in South Africa.

An England insider, though, was unwilling to discuss the issue for now. He told Soccernet: "This is not something we wish to talk about just yet."

King, meanwhile, is set to be named in the squad on Tuesday after proving his ability to play three games in 11 days.

King's ability has never been in doubt, but Capello and his staff had doubts over King's ability to play regular football at the tournament given his well-publicised fitness problems.

Having featured in Tottenham's last three games against Manchester United, Bolton and Manchester City, though, Capello is now satisfied that King is physically capable of keeping up with the demands of the tournament.

The insider told Soccernet: "Yes, I think Ledley King will now be in the provisional squad of 30 to be named on Tuesday. It now makes sense since Ledley King managed to lay three games in the last 11 days."

Harry Redknapp has been bullish about King's England World Cup chance in recent days, and his Spurs team-mate Michael Dawson is also in line for inclusion, with Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott's injury leading to severe doubts over his chances.

"Yes, Michael Dawson has a chance," the insider added. "He has certainly impressed over the last three months, and for that he deserves to be considered.

"Lescott is not 100% fit and could be a big risk, so we need to make a careful assessment of him, but we haven't ruled him out just yet because he can play at full back as well as centre half."

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