Uncapped duo in, Ferdinand out for England

New England manager Roy Hodgson has included uncapped midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and goalkeeper John Ruddy in his 23-man squad for UEFA EURO 2012, but there is no room for Rio Ferdinand.

Hodgson – the long-term successor to Fabio Capello, who resigned in February – took up the England role full time this week after his last game in charge of West Bromwich Albion FC.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, 18, has impressed in his first season at Arsenal FC, including becoming the youngest Englishman to score in the UEFA Champions League, while Ruddy will provide back-up for Joe Hart along with Robert Green.

Euro 2012 England squad

Ferdinand, meanwhile, has not played for England this season due to injury and John Terry, Gary Cahill and Joleon Lescott have been preferred in central defence. In midfield, regular starter Scott Parker has been struggling with an Achilles problem but is included. Right-back Kyle Walker is ruled out with a toe problem, joining Jack Wilshire and Chris Smalling on the sidelines. Steven Gerrard has been named captain.

"It has not been an easy squad to put together but I am pleased with the outcome," Hodgson said. "John Ruddy has had an excellent season at Norwich. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has had a big impression on me, particular versus Milan.

"Andy Carroll is a different type of player. He is good in the air, he can hold the ball up and get inbehind. I gave an awful lot of thought to me strikers. I'm hoping the balance of the squad can be maintained by using [Theo] Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and [Ashley] Young."

Prior to leaving for the finals, England play Norway in Oslo on 26 May then welcome Belgium to Wembley on 2 June. Nine days later they kick off UEFA EURO 2012 Group D against France in Donetsk, where they return to face co-hosts Ukraine after a trip to Kyiv for an encounter with Sweden. Wayne Rooney is suspended for the matches against France and Sweden.

England squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City FC), Robert Green (West Ham United FC), John Ruddy (Norwich City FC).

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

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

Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool FC), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United FC)*, Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United FC).

*Suspended for first two games.

©UEFA.com 1998-2012. All rights reserved.

Euro 2012: Rio Ferdinand dropped from England squad

Hodgson contacted Ferdinand on Tuesday to inform him that he would not be including him in his squad for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine next month. The England manager then travelled to Chelsea's training ground where he met Terry for the first time since taking the job and spoke at length to him and the club's other England internationals about his plans for the competition.

Hodgson also rang Peter Crouch, the Stoke City striker, and perhaps most surprisingly Micah Richards, the Manchester City right-back, to let them know that they were also being left out.

By that stage Hodgson had learned that Kyle Walker, the Tottenham Hotspur defender, will miss the tournament because of a broken toe. The Professional Footballers' Association's young player of the year suffered the injury during the game at Bolton Wanderers on 2 April and was assessed on Monday night. The 21-year-old would have been Hodgson's first-choice at right‑back and his absence makes it a particular surprise that Richards is being omitted. However, Hodgson does have alternatives for the position in the form of Phil Jones and Glen Johnson.

Ferdinand's own disappointment is tinged by a sense of bitterness as he reflects on the end of a 14-year international career, encompassing 82 caps and three World Cups. The official line Hodgson will use is that it is purely because Ferdinand is now 33 and has suffered from recurrent back and calf injuries over the past three seasons. However, a dismayed Ferdinand is convinced it is directly linked to his issues with Terry and the potential divisions that might have been caused if the two centre-backs were both involved.

Hodgson, who has also cancelled a training camp in Spain next week, is acutely aware of the bad feeling that exists since Terry was accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rio's younger brother, during Chelsea's match at Queens Park Rangers in October. Terry denies the charge, to be heard at Westminster magistrates' court on 9 July, and Hodgson's early inquiries have revealed that the case has already caused divisions in the England squad. The fear uppermost in Hodgson's mind was that those issues would intensify during a month away when all the feedback he has received has indicated that there is no hope of an end to impasse in the relations. In the end, he has concluded that it is unworkable.

Ferdinand's dismay is not eased by the fact Jones, almost guaranteed to get a place in the squad, is one of his understudies at club level, while Hodgson also planned to select Chris Smalling, another of the players behind him in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Smalling's groin injury had opened another place but Hodgson has decided Ferdinand's vast tournament experience is not needed when there are younger candidates such as Joleon Lescott and Gary Cahill. Hodgson is also aware Jones can play at right-back or in the centre and that versatility could be particularly useful now Walker is out of the competition. In total, England now have five players ruled out through injury, with Jack Wilshere, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone and Jack Rodwell also not in contention. Darren Bent, battling to prove his fitness after an ankle operation, may be a sixth.

Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard, the first senior England player Hodgson contacted after becoming manager, is favourite to be made captain.

Ferdinand's own injury issues have played a part in Hodgson's thinking. The manager tried to ease the disappointment by ringing Ferdinand to break the news himself and he is entitled to point out it would have been a gamble relying on his fitness when England have three games in a week. Ferdinand, however, has not missed a game through injury since January. He has played all of United's last 12 games and will know, almost certainly, that he will not get another chance at this level.