Green out of Euro 2012 qualifiers

 

Sam Wallace
Monday 29 August 2011 19:23 EDT
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Hart is now England's only senior goalkeeper
Hart is now England's only senior goalkeeper (getty images)

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The West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green last night withdrew from the England squad to play the forthcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales, leaving Fabio Capello with an alarming shortage of available replacements.

Beyond his first choice Joe Hart, Capello has only David Stockdale, the Fulham player now on loan at Ipswich Town , in the current squad. Ben Foster has taken a sabbatical from international football, although for how long nobody seems certain. Scott Carson has never been the most enthusiastic attendee for international games. Frank Fielding, who made an England squad last season is one option. He is now at Derby County . David James, 41, has only just regained his place in the Bristol City team after a run out the side.

The shortage of eligible goalkeepers has become a problem for Capello who cannot justifiably cherrypick from Stuart Pearce's Under-21s squad given that they have European championship qualifiers this week. Pearce has Ben Amos (Manchester United), Jack Butland ( Birmingham City ) and Declan Rudd ( Norwich City ) in his squad.

Update:

Derby's Frankie Fielding has been called up as a replacement.

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