Sport 12-11-2003 Gardner`s World Rocked By Call-Up who: Tottenham defender Anthony Gardner what: Wins surprise England call-up for Denmark friendly where: White Hart Lane, LONDON when: Yesterday snippet: England fans "were left scratching their heads after manager Sven Goran Eriksson called Anthony Gardner into his squad last night," writes The Sun`s Pat Sheehan, clearly unimpressed at the 23 year-old Spurs defender`s promotion to the full international team for Sunday`s friendly against Denmark. Indeed, he continues, "Gardner is the biggest selection surprise sprung by Eriksson since he took charge of the national side and even the former Port Vale defender admitted he thought it was a hoax by his pals." The Telegraph agrees, adding that despite the fact that Gardner has commanded a regular first-team place at Tottenham, "his inclusion reveals just how little cover Eriksson has at centre-half with the Football Association`s self-imposed ban on selecting Rio Ferdinand while he awaits a decision on his missed drugs test." The player himself heard the news after Middlesbrough`s Gareth Southgate pulled out of the squad for the Old Trafford game with a thigh injury yesterday and admits he was as surprised as anyone else. "Now that I am getting over the shock, I am excited and very proud," he added. But, says The Times, an England line-up without Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Woodgate, Sol Campbell, Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Owen or Kieron Dyer is "by the day losing much of its meaningful status." Even though the visit of Denmark is the first fixture of England`s preparations for the European Championship finals in Portugal next year, "the mass of injuries real or, perhaps, otherwise makes a mockery of Eriksson`s earnest intentions." [... more]

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