No Taylor call-up is great news for Pardew but another gaffe by Capello

By Simon Bird

Published 11:50 08/11/11

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The eccentricity and inconsistency of Fabio Capello’s England squad selections stopped being a surprise years ago.

But for the first time in a while, a Newcastle United player can feel hard done to at not getting a call.

Defender Steven Taylor will spend the week topping up his fitness, and preparing for a big test against Manchester City rather than mixing it with England’s finest.

That is good news for Alan Pardew. A vital cog in the meanest defence in the Premier League gets rest and recovery.

But Taylor is just the sort of player that Capello should be looking up for the friendlies against Spain and Sweden.

Let’s examine Capello’s centre back options this week.

The John Terry/Anton Ferdinand could be a whole separate debate. But I don’t believe the England skipper should have been picked, or play, with a race charge still to be contested.

There is also merit in the case for England simply moving on from Terry altogether with the trouble he attracts. Surely he’s now such a divisive figure that he’s not worth the bother?

And then there is the case of Everton defender Phil Jagielka. Such are his injury problems that he can’t actually train during the week. He admitted that himself after his club’s defeat to Newcastle last weekend.

Yet he is called up, presumably only to sit around all week getting treatment at England’s HQ, before possibly playing.

Gary Cahill is in there despite some dodgy, confidence-sapping defending from Bolton this season. Although he had done well for England in recent qualifiers.

No one would argue with Manchester United’s Phil Jones being an automatic selection. Joleon Lescott too, with his growing experience and big-game experience at Manchester City these days.

Rio Ferdinand isn’t finished yet despite not being in this squad, and will surely be fit and back for the Euro finals. Chris Smalling is also missing but his versatility in the right back role will help his cause.

So up here in the North East questions are being asked as to why Taylor has been overlooked.

People have raved about Taylor, and tipped him for international honours before, prematurely.

Only now is he showing the maturity and leadership on and off the pitch to merit such plaudits.

I can only recall one costly mistake in 11 league games – when he mistimed a tackle on Spurs’ Emanuel Adebayor conceding a penalty.

The rest of the time he has been combative, quick, read games well and used possession efficiently, learning no doubt from the outstanding Fabricio Coloccini alongside him.

Compare that to the slips and controversy Terry attracts. Or the form of Jagielka’s Everton. Or Cahill’s travails at club level.

Maybe Taylor’s problem is that he has been around so long. He is only 25, but seems to have been around ages. In fact he first played for Newcastle under Sir Bobby Robson aged 17.

He has done his learning and developing as a player in public.

He’s not been helped by the frequent bouts of turmoil and change at Newcastle, or by some of his defensive partners.

Put him alongside Coloccini, in a side which, off the ball, hunts in packs and squeezes the space from the opposition, and he looks top class again.

England assistant Stuart Pearce knows all about Taylor, who was his U21 skipper six years ago.

But Taylor is a much better player now.

The dynamic behind the scenes at St James’s Park also seem to suit him more this season.

When Alan Pardew moved on Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton, he said new characters would come to the fore to be leaders.

You’ll recall Taylor had his jaw broken on either side by Carroll in a dressing room scrap a couple of seasons back over a girl. That clearly led to awkwardness, with Carroll, Nolan and Barton being so close.

All that has cleared now and Taylor, while still being a prankster behind the scenes, has blossomed.

Taylor won’t give up on his dream of playing for England. He was called up for one squad under Steve McClaren but didn’t win a cap.

He says: "If I've got my team-mates, my manager and the fans behind me - that's the most important thing. The manager said some nice things, which is fantastic.

"I'll just keep playing week in, week out, and hopefully we'll keep getting results. I'll let other people do the talking. My team-mates and manager have stuck by me, and the fans have been brilliant. Credit to them - I've got to thank everyone for helping me.

"Don't get me wrong, it's the greatest honour for a professional footballer to be called up for your country.

"If that chance comes along, I'll relish it.”

Capello has frequently insisted he picks England squads on form, not names. In that case, Steven Taylor should be in there.

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