BULLARD IN, OWEN OUT

JIMMY BULLARD has been handed a shock England World Cup call-up but there is no room in Fabio Capello's squad for Michael Owen.

Bullard, 29, is in for the games against Andorra on Saturday and Croatia next Wednesday following an excellent start to the season and his influential role in keeping Fulham up last term.

Capello is presumably banking on Bullard’s experience helping him overcome any nerves at his first call-up and the Londoner’s chirpy character should certainly help in the England dressing room.

It is also a reward at Bullard’s decision not to chase a place in the Germany squad by taking advantage of his grandmother’s birthplace.

Having been out of the game for 15 months following cruciate ligament surgery in September 2006, it is a testament to Bullard’s strength of character that he not only returned to action but produced performances good enough to attract Capello’s attention.

However, anyone who has seen Bullard rise from total obscurity at Gravesend & Northfleet would have no doubt about his determination and dedication, even if his major claim to fame in his career so far is the role he played in Wigan’s rise from League One to the Premier League.

Bullard’s joy will contrast sharply with the dejection of Michael Owen, who has been left out despite making his first full appearance of the season for Newcastle at Arsenal on Saturday.

With Capello in attendance at the Emirates Stadium, it was felt Owen would be part of the Italian’s 23-man squad, particularly as he has scored match-winners against Bolton and Coventry in the past week.

However, Capello gave an indication Owen would miss out earlier this week.

“Owen is a good player and always scores a lot of goals for England,” Capello said on Wednesday before adding: “But he has not played and at this moment, we need fit players.”

Whether Capello can afford to be without Owen, one of only six players to score 40 goals for England, is a debatable point, if not for the meeting with Andorra in Barcelona on Saturday, then certainly for the crunch clash against Croatia in Zagreb four days later.

Instead, Capello has stuck with the four strikers from the squad that earned mixed reviews for their performance in the draw against the Czech Republic at Wembley on August 20.

Abuse

Once again, Peter Crouch has been left out despite scoring for Portsmouth at Everton, although the performance of another Pompey man at Goodison Park, Jermain Defoe, suggests he will be the man asked to partner Wayne Rooney at the Olympic Stadium at Montjuic next weekend.

Capello will be hoping to avoid the kind of abuse Steve McClaren endured at the same venue 18 months ago, when Gerrard’s double and a late David Nugent effort staved off total humiliation against the part-timers after a goalless first-half.

That embarrassment provided the trigger for David Beckham’s return and the former England skipper has retained his place in Capello’s squad even though his punishing schedule - he followed the England game with a trip to Beijing for the Olympics handover - and lack of worthwhile match practice with Los Angeles Galaxy as the reasons behind an apparent decline in performance.

With Manchester City keeper Joe Hart returning to England Under-21 duty and Jonathan Woodgate injured, Robert Green and Joleon Lescott have been recalled, while Glen Johnson will provide cover for Wes Brown at right-back as Gary Neville, like Owen, is deemed not fit enough and Micah Richards picked up a knock in City’s win at Sunderland.

FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham United), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers).

Defenders: Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Wes Brown (Manchester United), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), John Terry (Chelsea), Joleon Lescott (Everton), Matthew Upson (West Ham United).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Jimmy Bullard (Fulham), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), Joe Cole (Chelsea), David Bentley (Tottenham Hotspur), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), David Beckham (LA Galaxy).

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jermaine Defoe (Portsmouth), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Emile Heskey (Wigan Athletic).

England fixtures

ENGLAND'S WORLD CUP FIXTURES

SATURDAY: Andorra v England

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10: Croatia v England

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11: England v Kazakhstan

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15: Belarus v England

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2009: England v Ukraine

SATURDAY JUNE 6: Kazakhstan v England

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10: England v Andorra

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9: England v Croatia

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10: Ukraine v England

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14: England v Belarus