Jamie Carragher is ready to quit the England team after
being left out of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia
last month.
The Liverpool centre-half, who played in four of England's five
games at the World Cup last year, has made just five appearances
under Steve McClaren.
He has never started in his favoured position in a back four, even
when John Terry and Rio Ferdinand have been injured, despite
winning rave reviews as he helped his club to a second Champions
League final appearance in three years.
His likely decision to retire from international football, which
mirrors Paul Scholes' self-imposed England exile,was brought to a
head when he was left out of the side who defeated Estonia 3-0 in
Tallinn.
A source close to the 29-year-old said last night: "Jamie does not
want to sound like a big-time Charlie. He just feels that at this
stage of his career it would be better if he concentrated his
efforts on helping Liverpool become the No 1 team in England
again.
"He has always regarded it as a tremendous honour to represent his
country and he has happy memories of pulling on the shirt. But
things have to end some time and he thinks this might be a good
time to bow out."
Against Estonia, the euphoria surrounding David Beckham's England
return overshadowed Carragher's huge disappointment at being
dropped to the bench.
He had accepted the fact he was behind the likes of Terry,
Ferdinand and Jonathan Woodgate in the central defensive pecking
order but, in a match when both Ferdinand and Woodgate were
unavailable, McClaren's preference for the injuryprone Ledley King
came as a bitter personal blow.
The situation was made worse when the England manager picked Wes
Brown at right-back, a role Carragher has filled in the absence
through injury of Gary Neville.
McClaren, having failed to talk Scholes into returning to the
international scene, has not given up on persuading Carragher to
reverse his decision and has been in constant touch with him. He
will seek to meet the player on his return, before he names the
squad for the friendly against Germany on August 22 at
Wembley.
Carragher has collected 34 England caps since he made his debut as
a substitute against Hungary in April 1999, ironically in the game
that also signalled Brown's nternational arrival. In that time, the
Anfield favourite has earned a reputation for being a wholehearted
player who rarely let the side down, despite being asked to play
all across the back four.
Eriksson once tried him as a holding midfield player, but McClaren
has used him at right-back, left-back and as one of three
centre-halves in a 3-5-2 formation, as well as, briefly, in his
favoured position.
Carragher won 27 caps during Eriksson's reign, but his appearances
have been restricted to just three starts since McClaren took
over.
