Gerard Houllier has urged Fabio Capello to persuade Jamie Carragher to come out of international retirement – and hailed the Liverpool man as the answer to England’s problematic right-back position.
Carragher, who has won 34 caps, has asked not to be considered for selection for his country since 2007 having grown tired at his treatment from a succession of national team managers.
The 31-year-old was in particular aggrieved that he was rarely utilized in his preferred centre-back role despite regularly being hailed as one of the best defenders in Europe by his peers.
With Manchester United pair Gary Neville and Wes Brown hampered by injuries in recent years and Portsmouth’s Glen Johnson yet to fully convince Capello, the right-back slot remains up for grabs ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
And former Liverpool manager Houllier believes Carragher’s versatility and experience would prove invaluable for England in South Africa.
“It’s not my place to offer advice to Fabio Capello,” said Houllier. “But I’d go to Jamie Carragher and say ‘We need you’.
“I’d ask him to come back at the start of next season. In my mind I’d have him pencilled in for the right-back position, where England have no obvious solution at the moment, but the great thing about Carra is he can play right-back, left-back and, of course, centre-back – and do a job in defensive midfield, too.
“All that experience would be valuable in a World Cup. On top of everything else, he’s a great lad to have in the dressing room.”
Capello declared last month that the door was open for Carragher and Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes, who retired from the international scene almost five years ago.
However, Capello’s plea is likely to fall on deaf ears with Carragher having shown little sign of being tempted back into the international fold, particularly when any possible recall would not be in his preferred position in central defence.
England can move a step closer to next summer’s World Cup with victory in their qualifier against Ukraine at Wembley tomorrow.
Carragher, who has won 34 caps, has asked not to be considered for selection for his country since 2007 having grown tired at his treatment from a succession of national team managers.
The 31-year-old was in particular aggrieved that he was rarely utilized in his preferred centre-back role despite regularly being hailed as one of the best defenders in Europe by his peers.
With Manchester United pair Gary Neville and Wes Brown hampered by injuries in recent years and Portsmouth’s Glen Johnson yet to fully convince Capello, the right-back slot remains up for grabs ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
And former Liverpool manager Houllier believes Carragher’s versatility and experience would prove invaluable for England in South Africa.
“It’s not my place to offer advice to Fabio Capello,” said Houllier. “But I’d go to Jamie Carragher and say ‘We need you’.
“I’d ask him to come back at the start of next season. In my mind I’d have him pencilled in for the right-back position, where England have no obvious solution at the moment, but the great thing about Carra is he can play right-back, left-back and, of course, centre-back – and do a job in defensive midfield, too.
“All that experience would be valuable in a World Cup. On top of everything else, he’s a great lad to have in the dressing room.”
Capello declared last month that the door was open for Carragher and Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes, who retired from the international scene almost five years ago.
However, Capello’s plea is likely to fall on deaf ears with Carragher having shown little sign of being tempted back into the international fold, particularly when any possible recall would not be in his preferred position in central defence.
England can move a step closer to next summer’s World Cup with victory in their qualifier against Ukraine at Wembley tomorrow.
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