Still time for fringe players to make their case for inclusion in Rio squad

With a 30-man squad selected for the final match before the 23 names who are to make up Hodgson’s final list are announced, on-loan Everton midfielder Barry and Sunderland winger Johnson missed out even though they have been making headlines for their clubs.

Southampton defender Luke Shaw has been called-up for the first time as he looks to challenge Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines for the left-back berth.

Cardiff captain Steven Caulker is also included, with young midfield duo Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling given another chance to impress.

But for those players who have not made Hodgson’s latest squad, including fit-again West Ham striker Andy Carroll, the England manager has challenged them to work their way into his thinking.

“This is not the 30 from which the 23 will absolutely be chosen,” he said.

“It is possible for players who are not in there to push in. That is the message I’m keen to put over.

“It would be foolish in March to give a definitive 30-man squad. Anyone I might decide I want to take, if they are not in this 30, I am entitled to do that.”

Likewise, Hodgson stressed those players named in his squad to face Denmark should not rest on their laurels.

“I’m not prepared to give that guarantee,” he said.

“Anyone who thinks that may find themselves disillusioned. There is still plenty of football to be played. The period now between March 5 and May 11 is a very, very busy period. There are quite a few weeks where people will be playing three times.

“I think I have chosen a strong 30-man squad here, having a 30-man squad is good. I shall just wait and see and on a weekly basis maybe have to reassess.”

Uncapped Shaw is joined in the squad by Southampton team-mates Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez as four Saints players make a senior England squad for the first time.

The 18-year-old has been touted to be given a chance at international level for some time and Hodgson is keen to see what he can do.

“I think everyone who has watched him play recently will not deny that he deserves a place in a large squad like this,” he said.

“He has played extremely well and is an exciting talent. I think it was the right moment to invite him along. He is a player in a position where we are well off but he wants to compete with the other two (Cole and Baines) for a place on the plane to Brazil.”

With Everton’s Phil Jagielka absent with a hamstring problem, Caulker was called upon on after Hodgson admitted he was unable to select injured Manchester United defender Phil Jones.

“We have asked Steve Caulker to come in,” he said.

“He wasn’t in my original list of 30, Jagielka was and so was Jones until I found out it is a few weeks until he returns. It is not the first time it has happened to us.”

Hodgson said he intends to name four central defenders in his World Cup squad and suggested he already knows who his first-choice picks would be.

“We wouldn’t be taking more than four centre-backs with us to Brazil. I don’t think any country would. Jagielka, Cahill, Jones and Smalling – they are our four. Caulker is another one and we are unlucky that two of our five are unavailable at the moment.”

With 12 members of the squad currently playing for Premier League sides participating in the Champions League, Hodgson would rather see Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Man United advance following a poor showing in their first legs – even if it means more football between now and the summer.

“I don’t think the lack of success is ever a boost,” he said.

“Players depend upon success, about confidence, about feeling good for themselves.

“I would like to see those teams turn around their deficits, go forward and, as an Englishman and the England manager, I would like to see them go further and do well.”

Liverpool do not have the distraction of European football and winger Sterling returns to the squad to join team-mates Glen Johnson, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge.

“They (Liverpool) have been fantastic,” said Hodgson. “They have played brilliantly well, their pressuring has been very, very good and they have made life difficult for the opposition.

“Raheem was with us for one of the qualifying games we played last year.

“He is a player I know from Liverpool but after bursting into the team he went away for a while, but he is back now better than ever. Hopefully they will bring their confidence with them but (club and international football) are two different things.”

England squad

Forster (Celtic), Foster (West Brom), Hart (Man City), Ruddy (Norwich); Baines (Everton), Cahill (Chelsea), Caulker (Cardiff), Cole (Chelsea), Johnson (Liverpool), Shaw (Southampton), Smalling (Man Utd), Walker (Spurs); Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Cleverley (Man Utd), Gerrard (Liverpool), Henderson (Liverpool), Lallana (Southampton), Lampard (Chelsea), Milner (Man City), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Sterling (Liverpool), Townsend (Spurs), Wilshere (Arsenal); Defoe (Toronto FC), Lambert (Southampton), Rodriguez (Southampton), Rooney (Man Utd), Sturridge (Liverpool), Welbeck (Man Utd).rridge (Liverpool), Welbeck (Man Utd).