• England football

Walker and Stockdale picked by Capello

ESPN staff
February 5, 2011
Kyle Walker has been included in the latest England squad © PA Photos
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Aston Villa's on-loan full-back Kyle Walker and Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale are two of the surprise inclusions in Fabio Capello's latest England squad.

The two players are the only first-time call-ups for the 25-man squad to face Denmark, which also sees familiar names Michael Dawson, Leighton Baines and Scott Parker return to the fray.

Walker - currently on loan from Tottenham - has impressed in his time at Villa Park, scoring against Fulham in a 2-2 draw just hours before his call-up was announced. Stockdale has put in a number of assured displays for the Cottagers this season when called upon to deputise for No. 1 Mark Schwarzer.

Capello has been struggling in the right-back department, with doubts over the form of Glen Johnson and Micah Richards, who played in the role against France in November.

Nevertheless, Walker's elevation is a shock and comes at the end of a period when the 20-year-old has excelled in loan spells with both QPR and Villa.

Walker is joined in the squad by current club team-mates Stewart Downing, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent.

The former Sheffield United defender has appeared for England at Under-19 and Under-21 level, making his debut for the former before he had ever appeared in a league match for the Blades.

He subsequently joined Tottenham at the start of last season, although he struggled to make an impact at White Hart Lane and it was not until he signed a loan deal with QPR in September that he started to catch the eye.

Capello's lack of options at right-back are emphasised by the fact Johnson is still favoured to start in that role against the Danes, even though he has spent the last few weeks at left-back for Liverpool after an inconsistent campaign.

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand would likely have been named in the squad, but a calf injury sustained before Saturday's defeat to Wolves ruled him out of the game.

England face Denmark in Copenhagen on Wednesday evening.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Ben Foster, Joe Hart, David Stockdale
Defenders: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, John Terry, Kyle Walker
Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young
Forwards: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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