Ferdinand left out of England Squad

Rio Ferdinand is set to be left out of England's Euro 2012 squad when it is unveiled by new manager Roy Hodgson on Wednesday.
Hodgson is believed to have spoken to the Manchester United defender on Tuesday and told him he would not be going to Poland and Ukraine this summer. Ferdinand has made no comment on the matter, although it is thought Hodgson's decision may have been shaped more by concerns over the 33-year-old's long-standing back problems.

Although he was speaking about the potential for Ferdinand being selected for duty at the Olympics later in the summer, on Friday Sir Alex Ferguson said it was impossible for the former West Ham man to play twice in four days.

As a similarly packed schedule would have to be navigated at the European Championships, it is thought Hodgson has concluded that he cannot take the risk of managing one of his senior players through a tournament of such significance.

The news will come as a blow to Ferdinand, who had declared his intention to make himself available this summer, despite obvious complications over his relationship with long-time central defensive colleague John Terry.

The Chelsea man will face a court case later this year after being charged with making comments of a racist nature to Ferdinand's brother Anton during the Blues Premier League encounter with QPR at Loftus Road last October. Terry denies the charges.

It is thought Terry will be part of the England squad, along with club colleague Frank Lampard.

Hodgson's firm decision about Ferdinand appears to signal the end of his 81-cap England career. Ferdinand last featured for his country in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland in June 2011, although he was selected for the friendly against Holland the following August which was postponed due to the London riots and it is not the only bold decision Hodgson has taken.

During his extended period as interim manager following Fabio Capello's dismissal, Stuart Pearce claimed he had put everything into place for the new man to slot into. Now it seems Hodgson was not that impressed.

After shoving the planned squad announcement back to Wednesday for the original unveiling date of May 10, Hodgson has now taken the even more significant decision to scrap next week's planned training camp in Spain.

Lampard Leads England To Victory

Frank Lampard celebrated claiming the England captain's armband by scoring the goal that secured victory against World Cup holders Spain at Wembley. Lampard - leading his country in the absence of rested Chelsea team-mate John Terry - headed in from close range in the 49th minute after Darren Bent had struck the woodwork. The world and European champions dominated possession and territory for long periods and almost equalised late on when David Villa struck a post and substitute Cesc Fabregas wasted a chance. But England held on with real resilience for a win that will inject new reserves of confidence into Fabio Capello's side. Capello was missing his son's wedding in Milan to take charge - yet his reshaped England team gave him cause for a double celebration as they overturned the odds in front of a delighted Wembley gallery.

England 2 - 2 Switzerland

England were held to a draw after surviving a major scare against Switzerland as they were forced to come from two goals behind to earn a point in the Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley.
Fabio Capello's out of sorts side looked to be heading for a damaging defeat and a heavy blow to their hopes of reaching Poland and Ukraine next summer as Switzerland deservedly took command.
Tranquillo Barnetta was the grateful beneficiary of uncertain England defending and poor goalkeeping from Joe Hart as he twice saw speculative free-kicks end in the back of the net in the first half.

Wembley was noisily registering its unrest with Capello and England when Johan Djourou's foul on Jack Wilshere gave Frank Lampard the opportunity to pull a goal back from the spot before the interval and provide the foundations for a second-half recovery.Capello mystifyingly left Ashley Young out despite a match-winning display in the Euro 2012 qualifier win in Wales in March and he only underlined the folly of the decision by emerging as substitute at half-time and striking a fine equaliser six minutes after coming on.

England should have capitalised on their growing momentum to win, but Darren Bent failed to reproduce the finishing touches that have brought him goals in three successive appearances. He was blocked by Diego Benaglio when he was played in by Wilshere then blazed over the top of an open goal late on after Young's shot was saved by Switzerland's keeper.Defeat would have been harsh on the Swiss, predictably well-organised under the masterly direction of veteran coach Ottmark Hitzfeld, and in midfield man Xherdan Shaqiri they have one of Europe's rising stars.

England have now gone four games without a win at Wembley, their longest sequence without a victory in 30 years, and still have much work to do to reach Euro 2012 as they prepare for a testing trip to face Bulgaria in Sofia in September.Capello watched in frustration as England defended poorly and failed to provide any ammunition or support for Bent until after the break - but he was the architect of his own problems.
The selection of James Milner ahead of Young was the product of muddled thinking and the absence of Peter Crouch - with 22 goals in 42 England appearances - from even the substitutes' bench was also a surprise.
Milner and Theo Walcott failed to justify their selection ahead of Aston Villa's Young as they struggled ineffectually in the first half, leaving striker Bent isolated and starved of supply as Switzerland looked the more composed and ordered team.

Glen Johnson almost gave England the perfect start after only two minutes when he met Lampard's corner at the far post but Switzerland keeper Benaglio spread himself to make the block.Hart's eventful half started when he saved smartly from Eren Derdiyok then scrambled to turn away Gokhan Inler's shot after it took a deflection off the outstretched leg of the recalled Rio Ferdinand.England's keeper was by far the busier and he was in action again to save from the industrious and intelligent Shaqiri as Switzerland grew in confidence.

Ferdinand's header was narrowly off target before Switzerland stunned Wembley with two goals in three minutes just after the half-hour to take command in a fashion that visibly infuriated Capello as he stood in his technical area.Capello had just been forced to replace Ashley Cole, injured in an early tackle on Valon Behrami, with Leighton Baines and the Everton defender could only watch as his defensive colleagues handed the initiative to the Swiss.Barnetta was the goalscorer on both occasions - with England twice demonstrating a costly inability to deal with routine free-kicks into their penalty area. The first was floated in and missed by Ferdinand, wrong-footing Hart as it landed in the far corner.

The second was even more calamitous, with the wall formed by Walcott and Milner breaking hopelessly and Hart reduced to an awkward attempt to kick Barnetta's effort away from his near post, an effort that ended in embarrassing failure.England were desperate for a lifeline before the interval and Djourou provided it after 37 minutes with a lunge at Arsenal team-mate Wilshere that resulted in a penalty, converted by Lampard.
Wembley reacted with jeers at half-time - and Capello's response was to replace Lampard with Young. The switch was rewarded within six minutes as Baines cleverly chested a chipped pass into Young's path and set up a low angled finish past BenaglioEngland's shape looked more comfortable and they were now in charge. Wilshere's wonderful run and pass sent Bent clear, but Benaglio plunged bravely at his feet to save.
Bent, so reliable in front of goal for England in recent games, was then guilty of an awful miss as he threw away the opportunity to complete the comeback with 20 minutes left. The lively Young's shot was saved by Benaglio to leave Bent with what looked like a formality in front of an open goal, but he side-footed his finish over the bar with the Swiss keeper stranded.Young's second half show only highlighted Capello's errors in selection and he almost got his second when he reached Milner's pull back, but could not trouble Benaglio.

As the game entered three minutes of stoppage time, both sides almost snatched the win. Substitute Admir Mehmedi was inches away with Hart beaten and Stewart Downing, on for Walcott, shot weakly into the side-netting with the last kick of the game as England had to settle for a point.

England 1 Ghana 1

Ghana Black Stars on Tuesday earned a deserved draw when Asamoah Gyan's 90+1-minute goal cancelled Andy Carroll's first in the first half in a historic clash with the Three Lions of England at Wembley.

England kicked-off strongly and appeared set to drown Ghana in goals as the Ghanaians looked lethargic and lost many of the 50-50 balls, apparently as a result of their long flight from Congo Brazzaville less than 48 hours earlier.

In the third minute England earned a free-kick from the left but Young wasted it. It was the turn of Ghana in the seventh minute when Gyan's shot at goal was saved by Hart the goalkeeper of England. England came close to scoring when a combination among Baines, Milner and Young ended with Young blasting the ball over the bar. Just after that Adiyiah meandered his way through the Defence of England but once again Hart blocked his shot at goal.

By the 13th minute the Stars settled and strung a number of passes together but the Three Lions took the ball from them. Young slipped past Vorsah and sent a curling shot toward the top corner of Ghana's goal post but Kingson palmed it away.

In the 16th Ghana earned a free-kick about 30 yards from the goal line of England but Muntari's shot flew over the bar. Ghana mounted pressure on England and during a goal mouth melee Cahill had to stretch to head the ball away.

In the 22nd minute Gyan took a shot from 40 yards but Hart palmed it down. England came close to scoring in the 25th minute when Young hit the crossbar having received a low cross from Milner. Ghana earned a free-kick in the 27th minute. Muntari's kick was connected by Adiyiah but Hart in a reflex action palmed it away. On the 30th minute mark, England earned a free-kick 25 yards out but Downing kick landed on top of the net.

Ghana virtually captured the midfield and strung together about 20 passes and Wembley erupted with excitement.

Disaster struck for Ghana when in the 43rd minute Downing set up Carroll to simply thump left-footed into the bottom corner of Ghana's net to put England 1-0 up at half time.

Ghana got the second half started but England soon took over. Johnson was replaced by Lescott and this appeared to have improved the game of England. Jagielka mistakenly gave the ball to Gyan but he wasted the opportunity.

By the 50th minute Ghana had again taken control of the mid-field and imposed their type of play on England. Badu burst through the middle but was stopped by Cahill just as he was about to deliver a shot at goal in the 56th minute.

Paintsil's shot in the 59th minute was deflected over the bar. Ayew came in for Muntari and Carroll was replaced by Defoe on the hour mark.

In the 62nd minute Kingson was called upon to save Milner's shot at goal. Gyan broke through the England Defence in 69th minute but his shot hit the side netting.

Javis came in for Wilshare in the 70th minute and Milner was booked for a savage tackle on Gyan. The resultant free-kick was wasted.

Ghana mounted a siege on England in the dying embers of the game and in the 90+1 minute Gyan scored for Ghana after twisting and turning through a bunch of England players and expertly placed the ball into the corner of the net beyond the reach of the outstretched hands of Hart.

BALE OUT OF ENGLAND CLASH

Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has reportedly been ruled out of Wales' Euro 2012 qualifier against England on Saturday with a hamstring injury.

Bale will return to London for treatment on Thursday morning, according to The Sun. It is not yet clear whether he will be fit in time for Tottenham's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid on April 5.

Bale reportedly pulled up hurt in a Wales training session on Wednesday. He has only recently returned from a back injury that kept him out for six weeks from the end of January until early March.

The loss of flying winger Bale, now considered one of European football's most potent threats when on top form, is a blow for a Wales side hoping to upset their near-neighbours at Millennium Stadium.

England and Tottenham striker Peter Crouch had only spoken on Wednesday of the need to stop his club team-mate if England were to find success in Cardiff.

Crouch said: "Wales' biggest threat is Gareth Bale. We only assess opponents on Thursday and Friday, look at videos and I'm sure Gareth will be prominent in a lot of those videos.''

Although Crouch did not know at the time that Bale might not play, his appraisal of his former Liverpool team-mate, Cardiff's on-loan forward Craig Bellamy hints at where Wales might now turn for attacking inspiration.

He said: "Craig is a good lad. He gets a lot of stick but he only wants to win. When you see him from afar, you see him shouting at refs and shouting at anyone who will listen. But the only reason he's like that is he wants to win. I remember when he was at Liverpool him shouting and screaming at me during one training session. Afterwards I pulled him and said 'what's that about?' and he said 'I forgot'.

"He doesn't know he does it, he just says 'that's the way I play and I have to shout to get myself geed up for a game' and that's fully understandable. All the talk will be about Gareth Bale but Bellamy is certainly a player we have to watch out for.''

Steve McClaren sacked

Former England coach Steve McClaren has been sacked by German side Wolfsburg.
McClaren took over at the Bundesliga outfit in May after steering FC Twente to the Dutch title last season.
But he has struggled at Wolfsburg and has left with the club in 12th place and one point from the relegation zone after Saturday's defeat at Hannover 96.
"VfL [Wolfsburg] have parted ways with Steve McClaren. Pierre Littbarski is taking over," said a statement from the 2009 German league champions.
After spells as assistant to Jim Smith at Derby and Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, McClaren started his managerial career at Middlesbrough where his side won the League Cup in 2004 and reached the Uefa Cup final in 2006.
However, after being given the job of leading England in May 2006, the national team failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and he was dismissed in November 2007.

We have tried to make things work for as long as possible, but we have lost faith that we can bring success
Wolfsburg director of sport Dieter Hoeness
McLaren rebuilt his reputation after being appointed as FC Twente boss, steering the club to a first league title in their 45-year history and becoming the first English coach to win a major European league title since Sir Bobby Robson with Porto in 1996.
The 49-year-old could not replicate the same degree of success at Wolfsburg, winning only five of his 21 games in charge and he eventually lost the backing of the club only nine months into a two-year contract
"We were no longer sure that we could work with Steve McClaren until the end of the season with some stability," said director of sport Dieter Hoeness.
"We have tried to make things work for as long as possible, but we have lost faith that we can bring success.
"Following the recent negative results we cannot underestimate our situation in the table.
"Being only one point clear of the relegation places, we are alarmed.
"Now it's just a question of increasing the gap to the relegation places as soon as possible."
McClaren criticised forward Diego after the defeat by Hannover when the playmaker did not follow his orders to let striker Patrick Helmes take an 80th-minute penalty.
Diego missed the spot-kick and, with only one win in their last 11 games, Wolfsburg took action to change the club management.
"The players argued about it [the penalty] like kids in a playground," added Hoeness. "And because of that we were beaten in a match that we should never have lost."
Meanwhile, Wolfsburg chairman Dr Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz claimed the club had given the Yorkshireman plenty of opportunities to turn their season around
"We have not seen any alternative," said Garcia Sanz.
"Of course we all want to see continuity, particularly in the coaching position. Therefore, we have been waiting a long time with the decision.
"The supervisory board and management now believes, however, that the team cannot continue under Steve McClaren."