Football: Sutton snubs Hoddle by refusing his England B call

Chris Sutton's England career may be over after just 11 minutes, following his decision to pull out of the B squad yesterday. The Blackburn forward, who has been replaced by Ipswich's Jamie Scowcroft, has withdrawn from the game against Chile B because he was not included in the senior squad and has thereby almost certainly ensured he will never again be selected by Glenn Hoddle.

Sutton, who has scored 15 goals this season, was given his England chance in the November friendly against Cameroon, when he replaced Paul Scholes after 79 minutes of the 2-0 win.

When Hoddle named his squads for next week's matches against Chile, Sutton found himself in the B ranks for the game at West Bromwich 24 hours before the full international. Hoddle tried to explain he had selected Sutton for the first match to ensure he had a full game against the South American side rather than turning up at Bisham Abbey merely to sit in the stand.

But Sutton's anger at his "demotion" has led to a fit of pique, with the 23-year-old calling Hoddle to inform him he was not interested in being anything other than a senior squad man.

Hoddle said he had tried to get the striker to change his mind, even enlisting the help of Blackburn's manager, Roy Hodgson. "I spoke to Chris yesterday," Hoddle said. "I tried to persuade him not to pull out out of the squad, as did his club manager. But in the end, it's his decision. If someone doesn't want to play for their country at any level I won't force them. That's his decision."

Blackburn said they "respected" his right to pull out.

Sutton's relationship with Hoddle has been stormy, with the England coach clashing with the striker after Sutton publicly queried why he had not been selected for the World Cup qualifying match against Moldova.

Then he was told to talk to the coach rather than the press, with Hoddle holding out the chance of Sutton being given his chance in future matches, which happened against Cameroon.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Caption competition
Caption competition
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Sport blogs

iBet: Mercedes and Hamilton to roar in Monaco

Monaco is a street circuit where driver ability is more important than anywhere else and if we take ...

by Gareth Purnell

On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: It sounds sadistic, but the team live for the mountain stages

Three weeks ago as I drove off the Eurostar, I remember thinking what a very long time it was until ...

by Martin Ayres

iBet: Rose has the ammunition for Wentworth

McDowell did brilliantly to land the World Match Play title in Bulgaria last week, but it’s a format...

by Gareth Purnell

       
Independent Dating
and  

By clicking 'Search' you
are agreeing to our
Terms of Use.

Career Services

Day In a Page

James Pembroke: The man who's eaten everywhere

The man who's eaten everywhere

Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany
Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago
Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy
Eat Spam and carry on: Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

Eat Spam and carry on

Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating
Facial hair: Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence

Facial hair

Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence
The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...
Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Chief executive says trophies will come if a 'core' of suitable players is in place
Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

The Bayern Munich forward tells Tim Rich his side have to shed chokers' tag after two recent final defeats
Giro d'Italia: The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about
National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
British football scores an own goal

British football scores an own goal

Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again