THE STATUS of England friendlies has plummeted under Sven-Göran Eriksson, but it still came as a shock to the head coach this weekend when Alan Smith said that he would prefer to play in a reserve-team match near Preston than sit on the bench for his country. The Manchester United forward’s rejection of an invitation to travel to Denmark this week for the first match in a World Cup season, has opened the door for Darren Bent, the Charlton Athletic forward, as well as placing another black mark next to Smith’s name.

Smith told Eriksson that playing for United’s second string against Bolton Wanderers reserves at the County Ground, Leyland, would enable him to gain match fitness at a time that he is not a regular for his club. There may be some logic to that, but it was not the answer that his manager had been expecting and the decision may have cost Smith any chance of future consideration by the Swede.

Eriksson has had his reservations about the forward, whom he banished from the international squad for a year after his sending-off against Macedonia in October 2002. On the tour to the United States this summer, Smith is known to have expressed his irritation that he had fallen behind Peter Crouch in the pecking order. Eriksson tried to call him up to face Denmark, but only after injuries to Crouch and Andrew Johnson, who pulled out on Saturday night with a hamstring strain.

Smith, who is being used more in midfield than attack by United, knows that he is on the periphery of the international fold, which must have been a factor in his decision to turn down the chance to provide cover for Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Michael Owen in Copenhagen on Wednesday. “Smith should have been in, but he has played so little football and wants to play in the reserves on Tueday and have 90 minutes, he told me,” Eriksson said, although the head coach was not informed by the player.

Smith would have been in good company on the bench because that is where Owen will start. Suspended for the next World Cup qualifying match, against Wales in Cardiff on September 3, the Real Madrid forward will have to watch as Defoe takes his place. Bent’s promotion is reward for eight goals in 12 appearances for the under-21s, many as a substitute. A £2.5 million signing from Ipswich Town this summer, he scored twice on his debut for Charlton Athletic away to Sunderland on Saturday. “If I keep scoring goals and playing well, then hopefully I will get recognition for that,” he said. He cannot have guessed how soon.

The most notable absentee will be Sol Campbell, the injured Arsenal centre half, but Eriksson should be able to field most of the XI who, even ten months before the start of the World Cup finals, he regards as probable starters in Germany. Barring injury or loss of form, Paul Robinson, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Rooney and Owen are all but guaranteed their place.

John Terry will hope to win his personal duel with Campbell, while Joe Cole will believe that he can retain his place on the left side of midfield even if he is not a regular starter for Chelsea.

In the serialisation of his forthcoming autobiography, Robbie Fowler has predicted that England will never win the World Cup under Eriksson because the Swede lacks passion and tactical flexibility. “I hope he’s wrong,” was Eriksson’s diplomatic riposte.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: P Robinson (Tottenham), D James (Man City), R Green (Norwich). Defenders: G Neville (Man Utd), G Johnson (Chelsea), A Cole (Arsenal), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), J Terry (Chelsea), J Carragher (Liverpool), M Upson (Birmingham). Midfield players: P Neville (Everton), D Beckham (Real Madrid), S Gerrard (Liverpool), F Lampard (Chelsea), J Cole (Chelsea), O Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), S Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), J Jenas (Newcastle), M Carrick (Tottenham). Forwards: M Owen (Real Madrid), W Rooney (Man Utd), J Defoe (Tottenham), D Bent (Charlton)

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