Roy Hodgson fails to impress with first England squad

Roy Hodgson has been criticised in some quarters for his Euro 2012 squad selection

Every time an England squad is announced for a major tournament, you can be sure an outcry is not far away.

All fans have their favourites and the 23-man squad is obviously not big enough to include them all, but even so Roy Hodgson has made some major gaffes in his first selection.

He had an opportunity to silence a few doubters and name a bold squad for Euro 2012, but all he has succeeded in doing is turning more people against him before he has even taken charge of a game.

Some of the criticism of his squad has been completely over the top - just as was the reaction to his appointment in the first place - but he could live to regret a number of his decisions.

The presence of John Terry in the squad is sure to be divisive.

Hodgson insists he omitted Rio Ferdinand for purely footballing reasons and not because of Terry's upcoming trial for allegedly racially abusing Rio's brother, Anton (an allegation he denies).

That may well be true, but there are sure to be many allies of Ferdinand in the squad who believe he hasn't been selected because of Terry's inclusion and the assertion they can't be in the same squad.

This could lead to a major split in the England camp and that is the last thing Hodgson needs.

The sensible thing would have been to leave Terry at home.

He proved in the 2010 World Cup he can't cope without being captain. During the tournament, he said: "Since I lost the armband, nothing's ever changed for me. Off the training field, in the camp, in the dressing room, I'll still be the same. No one will take that away from me. I was born to do stuff like that."

Hodgson has confirmed Gerrard will be his captain but he was undermined by Terry in South Africa and the Chelsea skipper's inclusion means there is a serious risk a similar situation will play out in the summer.

Gerrard is a good choice as captain, although he has played a similar amount of games for England as Ferdinand in recent times, and Hodgson cited Ferdinand's lack of international game-time as a key reason in his decision to leave him out.

As for some of Hodgson's other selections, it's baffling Stewart Downing will be on the plane to Poland and Ukraine.

Downing's selection appears strange to say the least

He has been woeful for Liverpool all season and his record of no goals and no assists throughout the entire campaign - as a winger - is embarrassing.

Adam Johnson has been left on the standby list and although he has found game-time limited at Manchester City this season, he would have been a much more exciting and potent choice than Downing, as would Aaron Lennon.

Downing couldn't have been any worse this season so it's hard to see what he could have done to not be selected.

His Anfield team-mate Jordan Henderson has been named on the standby list and that is laughable.

Downing and Henderson have been the epitome of mediocrity for Liverpool this season yet have somehow found themselves in Hodgson's reckoning.

One thing's for sure: Hodgson must not have watched many Liverpool games this season.

He has also chosen Glen Johnson as the squad's only natural right-back, despite his own struggles this year.

Kyle Walker's toe injury robbed Hodgson of the chance to select England's outstanding right-back, but there were still a number of alternatives to compete with Johnson.

The player to feel most aggrieved should be Micah Richards, who has been outstanding for Manchester City this season despite being overlooked for the closing weeks of the campaign in favour of Pablo Zabaleta.

Roberto Mancini and Fabio Capello have both questioned Richards' tactical discipline in the past, but he should surely have been selected for the squad, even if he was just to be a back-up.

Michael Carrick must be wondering what he has to do to make an England squad.

Sir Alex Ferguson rates him extremely highly and he is clearly one of the top passers in the country, yet always seems to be overlooked by his country.

Carrick's presence in Manchester United's team helped bring the best out of Paul Scholes after he reversed his decision to retire, yet he finds himself behind the likes of Henderson in the England pecking order.

Adam Lallana of Southampton would have been a better player to have on the standby list than Henderson.

He still has to prove himself in the Premier League, of course, but he would certainly go into this summer in much better form than Henderson.

Other than all of that though, the squad is pretty much as expected.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is an encouraging choice as he represents the future for England and proved in his performance for Arsenal against AC Milan earlier this season that he is good enough to mix it with the best.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is a good wildcard selection by Hodgson

He is an excellent player with a good temperament and Hodgson can feel confident about involving him this summer.

Theo Walcott will also get the chance to prove himself at a major international tournament and this is an opportunity he has earned through some excellent late-season form for Arsenal.

The selection of Andy Carroll does seem to be based on his very short-term recent form, but the way he terrorised John Terry in the FA Cup final showed he is approaching his best form and will be a handful for any defence.

Personally, I don't think he's done enough to be worthy of a place in Hodgson's starting 11 but he will certainly be an excellent option to come on off the bench.

Danny Welbeck is likely to lead the line in England's first two group games in the absence of the suspended Wayne Rooney, while Jermain Defoe is another player with a proven record of delivering from the bench.

As for those strikers to miss out, it is no real surprise Peter Crouch and Grant Holt have been overlooked.

Both have had excellent seasons and were worthy of a mention, but neither represents the future and the selection of either would have been seen as a backward step.

Daniel Sturridge can count himself unlucky to only be on the standby list, but he has been played out on the left-wing by Chelsea and has not done enough there to warrant a place in the squad.

The goalkeeping situation is not ideal, with Joe Hart so far ahead of his 'competitors' its embarrassing, but Hodgson has made the right call in including Norwich's John Ruddy.

Ruddy has had a fine season and should be a member of the squad for years to come.

Rob Green is the other 'keeper in the squad, while young Jack Butland is the standby.

19-year-old Birmingham 'keeper Butland is said to be interesting the likes of Arsenal

Butland is highly-rated and could go on to challenge Hart in the long-term, so if he is eventually called up due to an injury to one of the first three choices, it would give him some valuable experience and ensure he is not overly nervous in the future when he is selected for tournament squads.

The only other real issue is whether Hodgson should have called up another striker to cover for Rooney's two-game absence, but in Ashley Young, Theo Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain he has versatile players who could fill the gap if needed.

Other versatile players in the squad include Phil Jones and James Milner and they could be crucial in Poland and Ukraine.

With the inclusion of Downing and Terry in his squad, along with Henderson on the standby list, Hodgson has opened himself up for criticism.

Overall, the squad is not in a terrible state and should have a chance of at least reaching the knockout stages.

Now the squad has been picked, it is time to get behind Hodgson and the players and give them a chance.

For me, despite a couple of disappointing selections, Hodgson remains the best man for the England job and the ideal manager to help the side succeed on the biggest stages.

I wouldn't have picked Terry in the squad, but now he is in there, he has to play.

Here is how I'd line up for the first two group fixtures, while Rooney is suspended: Hart; Jones, Terry, Cahill, Cole; Walcott, Gerrard, Parker, Milner, Young; Welbeck.

And when he is back, Hodgson should line up his team like this: Hart; Jones, Terry, Cahill, Cole; Walcott, Gerrard, Parker, Young; Rooney, Welbeck.

Oxlade-Chamberlain must be used though and not taken as merely an accessory, while Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard will also have big roles to play.

Hodgson has made a number of big decisions and fronted up well in the press conference.

In reality though, Fabio Capello's squad is unlikely to have been much different had he remained in charge.

Hodgson must be backed though and given the benefit of the doubt until the tournament is over.

Now its time for his 23-man squad (below), to deliver.

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Man City), Rob Green (West Ham), John Ruddy (Norwich).

Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Man United), John Terry (Chelsea), Joleon Lescott (Man City), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton).

Midfielders: Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Gareth Barry (Man City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Ashley Young (Man United), James Milner (Man City).

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Man United), Danny Welbeck (Man United), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham).

Standby players: Jack Butland (Birmingham City), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea).