London, May 11: Uncapped Manchester City midfielder Adam Johnson was named in England’s provisional 30-man World Cup squad on Tuesday and Jamie Carragher was recalled three years after retiring from internationals.
Also included were midfielders Scott Parker and Gareth Barry, who was doubtful after an ankle injury had ruled him out of action for the next three weeks.
There is a strong Tottenham Hotspur presence with centre backs Michael Dawson — the only other uncapped player in the group — and Ledley King, midfielders Tom Huddlestone and Aaron Lennon plus strikers Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe in the 30.
Darren Bent is also among the forwards bidding to accompany first choice Wayne Rooney but there is no place for Carlton Cole or Bobby Zamora.
Manager Fabio Capello, who will cut the squad for South Africa to 23 at the end of the month, will take his 30 players to a high-altitude training camp in Austria and has friendlies against Mexico and Japan to help him make his final decision.
Meanwhile, Francesco Totti was left out of Italy’s provisional World Cup squad on Tuesday after coach Marcello Lippi decided against bringing the World Cup winner out of international retirement.
AS Roma captain Totti, who quit the national side after their 2006 World Cup triumph, had considered making himself available for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa but the inconsistent Azzurri will have to do without his creativity.
Porto midfielder Cristian Rodriguez was left out of a provisional 26-man Uruguay squad announced by coach Oscar Washington Tabarez on Monday.
Rodriguez would have missed the opening two matches at the finals in South Africa after he received a four-game suspension for fighting at the end of Uruguay’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in their qualifier in Montevideo in October.
Real Madrid defender Pepe Reina was included in Portugal’s preliminary 24-man squad proving his recovery from a long-term knee injury.
Brazil-born Pepe, who cost Real Madrid $40.25 million from Porto in 2007, damaged knee ligaments in December and has not played since.
Australia backed star forward Harry Kewell to overcome his latest injury setback as coach Pim Verbeek named a bumper 31-man provisional squad on Tuesday.
Verbeek said Kewell, included alongside Everton match-winner Tim Cahill and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, will be ready for Australia’s World Cup opener against three-time winners Germany despite fresh groin problems.
“Of course there are rumours, of course there are opinions, but Harry will be ready,” Verbeek told an unveiling ceremony in Sydney. — Agencies