Former Leeds defender Tony Dorigo believes Jonathon Woodgate should be
recalled from the international wilderness to face Italy at Elland Road.
England coach Sven Goran Eriksson will tomorrow name his squad for the
friendly clash against the azzurri on Wednesday night and, after the
withdrawal of Leeds team-mate Rio Ferdinand, Woodgate is being tipped to get
the nod.

The highly-rated 22-year-old has completed a 100-hour community service
sentence and is now back in Whites boss David O'Leary's first-team fold at
Elland Road after seven weeks out with a hamstring injury, although the
Football Association are yet make a decision as to whether his ban from
international football can be lifted.

Eriksson has only two recognised central defenders in Sol Campbell and
Gareth Southgate at his disposal as Martin Keown is currently recovering
from a fractured leg, John Terry is unavailable and Ledley King and Wes
Brown are both out of contention.

"I think Woodgate is an excellent player," Dorigo told TEAMtalk. "When I was
at Leeds I saw him as a youngster and he has certainly come on leaps and
bounds. Obviously he has had his off-the-field problems but he has done his
dues there and I think he would be an excellent addition to the England
squad.

"We do need to get a settled side going into the World Cup, Sven has
tinkered with the squad already but there are still one or two places he is
unsure about and centre-half must be one of them. Certainly looking to the
future I can see Woodgate getting in there and being a rock in the England
defence."

Woodgate's first, and only, appearance in an England shirt was under Kevin
Keegan against Bulgaria in the summer of 1999.




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