An old clip of Danny Welbeck chipping the keeper at England U-21 training.

Gerrard is England captain.

“It was either Jones or Richards and I chose Jones,” said Hodgson.

Ferdinand will be frustrated he’s put himself in the position where he’s allowed himself to be treated like this. England have taken to piss out of him too many times, yet he always seems willing to go back for more.

First they banned him for eight months for failing to attend a drugs test, despite refusing him to be tested half an hour later and acknowledging that he didn’t take drugs.

Then, after being awarded the England captaincy, he had it taken off him for no reason. The manager didn’t even meet with Rio to tell him of his decision to reinstate John Terry.

Since the last international tournament, when Terry had the captaincy stripped for having an affair with the mother of the children of England team mate, Wayne Bridge, Terry was again dismissed as captain after being charged with the racial abuse of Anton Ferdinand. Terry won’t captain England to Euro 2012 but it looks as though he will be in the squad.

It has been suggested that both Rio and Terry couldn’t go together, so instead of dropping Terry, Rio will lose out. Reports have indicated fitness concerns may be given as an excuse, however Rio has played 38 games this season compared to Terry’s 30.

From a United perspective, it is obviously great if Rio gets the summer off, but I do wish he would stop allowing England to humiliate him like this. He may well announce his international retirement, which now is akin to telling the bird that just dumped you that you didn’t want to be with her anyway, honest.

The team will be announced tomorrow at 1pm.

“I don’t think Danny would let anybody down,” said Robson. “He’s a real hard worker. He’s worked very hard over the last couple of years to develop his talent. He’s just started to score goals now and that will give him great confidence. The way Danny is playing for Manchester Untied at the moment, he wouldn’t let England down if Roy Hodgson does put him in the squad and ask Danny to fill in for Wayne at this moment in time.”

After coming out of retirement to play for United again, there have been more calls for Paul Scholes to come out of international retirement to play for England in Euro 2012, but Robson reckons this is unlikely.

“He’s probably the most talented in terms of vision and passing the ball,” said Robson. “Scholes has got great vision. He is the only one that can really answer that question though. I don’t know what Paul Scholes has got in his mind. He retired years ago. I don’t think it’s something which Scholes would probably take onboard after so many years out but there is only Paul who can answer that question.”

For more insight from Bryan Robson and other leading managers plus exclusive Premier League highlights go to www.yahoo.co.uk/sport

Smalling may still be involved in the Olympic squad though after Ferguson has refused participation in both competitions to our players.

Nani scored a brilliant goal in Portugal’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina tonight to put them 2-0 up after Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener.

“After a great deal of thought and with a heavy heart, I have decided the time is right for me to retire from international football,” Vidic told the official site. “I feel, after 10 years of playing for my country, it is the right time for me to stand aside and allow the younger players to come through. I would like to thank all the managers, coaches and players I have played alongside. I have always been very proud to play for Serbia and would like to wish them well in future tournaments.”

There is the possibility that these comments were made in the heat of the moment, with our captain bitterley disappointed about the result. Serbia needed just one goal to qualify for Euro 2012 and the fact Vidic missed a penalty yesterday rubs salt in the wounds.

“I really don’t know,” he said. “But if you want me to say that, then I can say it – yes, this was my last game. It’s time for a change of generations, and for some older players to say goodbye to Serbian kit.”

Vidic represented Yugoslavia at youth level, playing all the way up through to U-21 level, before representing Serbia and Montenegro in qualifying for Euro 2004. He made his debut against Italy on October 12th 2002 and went on to play 57 games for his country.

His retirement from International football would obviously be a great thing for United, given that he is still only 29-years-old. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have enjoyed longer careers with the club after retiring from representing their countries and it would be great to get more years out of Vidic.

Rooney broke Law 12 and was charged with using “offensive, insulting and/or abusive language”. Despite players directing this language at referees and opponents on a weekly basis and receiving no punishment, the FA banned Rooney for two games. They claimed that because his language had been directed at a camera he deserved a ban, despite the law making no mention or reference to this. According to the FA, abusing a referee is acceptable but saying “fucking” on camera is worthy of a ban.

Regardless, on Friday night, Rooney lost his temper and took a swipe at his opponent in England’s game against Montenegro. He managed some control, pulling back before making any real contact, and the player accepted his hand straight away. However, the referee was left with little option but to send him off.

Rooney now stands to miss England games in next summer’s Euro 2012 and the FA are all too aware of how important he is to the team. They have put in an appeal to UEFA in the hope he will receive just a one match ban.

“We have been working very hard behind the scenes to ensure that we are prepared to support Wayne in any way we can,” said the FA’s director of communications, Adrian Bevington. “If it does lead to an appeal process, or any supplementary evidence we can submit to support him, we are not disputing that he was sent off for a red-card offence, but it is very important to us as an organisation that we try and look after all our players. And I would like to say, on the record, that Wayne conducted himself incredibly well after the game. He was very apologetic and I felt he handled it very maturely. We will do all that we can to try and ensure that Wayne is available to us as soon as possible in the finals.”

This statement is particularly interesting when you consider that Rooney “conducted himself incredibly well” after the West Ham game too and was “very apologetic” then as well. He even released a statement saying how sorry he was. The FA didn’t take that in to consideration in his appeal though and banned him for two games, meaning he missed out on our crucial FA Cup semi-final against City.

Whilst of course I want the best for Rooney in this situation, I won’t lose any sleep if the FA find England without their best player for two or three games.

“The FA may realise who has produced more players for their country than any club in the world,” said Ferguson this summer. “Maybe they will get some joy from it and realise how important we are to England instead of treating us like shit.”

What goes around comes around.

Fabio Capello has incredibly claimed that England will try different striking options in their friendly against Spain and if the new players do well, Rooney will lose his place in the starting XI.

“I need to find the solution for the first game, or two games, that Rooney will not play,” said Capello. “And if we find that solution, he needs to work to return to the first 11. You know me. Sometimes I make mistakes but I try to select the best players, in the best moment of form.”

When asked if he was really prepared to leave Rooney out even if available for selection, Capello replied: “Yes. In my life as a manager I have put on the bench a lot of players. I always decided who was the best player at that moment.”

Let’s be honest, Jermaine Defoe or Darren Bent could score a hattrick against Spain, there’s no way Rooney won’t be the first name on the team sheet for every possible game next summer. Who are you trying to kid, Fabio?