• Home Page
• Asia
• Europe
• U.S.
• World
• World Business
• Technology
• Science & Space
• Entertainment
• World Sport
• Football Update
• Formula 1
• Golf
• Sailing
• Travel
• Weather
• Special Reports
• Video
• I-Reports

CNN Pipeline

 

What's On

 

Art of Life

 

Business Traveller

 

Future Summit

 

Inside the Mideast

 

Principal Voices

 

Quest

 

Revealed

 

Talk Asia

 

Services --------- E-mail Mobile Desktop Alerts RSS AvantGo Make Home Page Ad Info About Us How To Get CNN Partner Hotels

 

Languages --------- Korean Arabic Japanese Spanish Turkish

Walcott named in England U21 squad

Walcott has yet to play a match for Arsenal since joining in January.

LONDON, England -- Teenage forward Theo Walcott, an unused member of England's World Cup squad under Sven-Goran Eriksson, has been passed over by new coach Steve McClaren and picked for the Under-21s.

Eriksson stunned English football by taking Walcott to the finals in Germany as the 17-year-old had yet to play a match for Arsenal since joining them in January.

Moving down a level, Walcott has been picked by Under-21 coach Peter Taylor for a European championship qualifier against Moldova at Ipswich next Tuesday.

McClaren, who has said he will do things differently to Eriksson, faces his first game in charge of the seniors a day later in a friendly against European champions Greece in Manchester.

McClaren, who was Eriksson's assistant, revealed that he saw the Under-21s as a necessary first step to senior football for the likes of Walcott, striker Darren Bent and goalkeeper Scott Carson.

"I wanted Darren, Scott and Theo to have the chance to play some competitive Under-21s football," McClaren said.

"Darren has just come back from injury, Theo has not yet played a Premiership game and Scott faces stiff competition for games at Liverpool. The Moldova match will be very positive for all three of them.

"They are all still very much in my plans. I see the Under-21s as a very important stepping stone to the senior team and I will keep a close eye on them this season."

Walcott's inclusion in the World Cup squad looked all the more curious as Eriksson called up only one fully-fit Premier League striker -- Peter Crouch.

Wayne Rooney, who was red-carded in England's quarter-final defeat by Portugal, missed the start of the tournament after suffering a broken foot in April.

Strike partner Michael Owen was still searching for match fitness after a foot injury, before rupturing a cruciate ligament in their final group game against Sweden.

Story Tools

Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time!

Home Page Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

Home Page Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.