TORONTO -- A "devastated" Jermain Defoe will be watching the World Cup from afar, barring an injury call-up from England. Don McKenney Jersey . The 31-year-old Toronto FC forward did not make Englands main 23-man squad which features Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Rickie Lambert at forward. Instead the Major League Soccer star was one of two strikers named to Englands seven-man standby list. Defoe said he felt sharp, was scoring goals and thought he had done enough to make the team. He added he had also been looking forward to representing his country in Brazil. "You cant expect anything but I did feel like I had a good chance of going because Ive been in most of the squads if not all the squads," he told BBC Radio. "So to miss out, I dont know, I just feel devastated to be honest," he added. Asked by the BBC if coming to Toronto was a mistake, Defoe said "Not at all." On a personal level, Defoe said it was difficult. But he wished the England team the best of luck. Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen said Defoe will remain with the MLS club unless summoned by England. "I was a bit surprised and disappointed for Jermain because he arguably deserves it," Nelsen said from Vancouver, where Toronto plays the Whitecaps in the second leg of their Amway Canadian Championship semifinal Wednesday. "Its a shame for him. But hes on the standby (squad) and you never know." Torontos practice was closed Monday. "Of course hes disappointed. Anybody would be," said Nelsen. "But theres nothing you can really say when a situation like that happens. Thats the managers decision. So hes just got to keep scoring goals, keep fit and maybe he gets that call-up." Toronto will be losing Brazil goalie Julio Cesar and U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley to the soccer showcase. Bradley will play for Toronto on Wednesday and then join the American camp. Cesar is expected to leave Toronto after the weekend game against the New York Red Bulls. Age and geography probably played against Defoe in his bid to go to Brazil. The first-team England strike force has combined for 51 international goals and 124 caps in Rooney (38 goals, 89 caps), Sturridge (3, 10), Welbeck (8, 21) and Lambert (2, 4). Manager Roy Hodgson also has attacking options in midfield in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Ross Barkley and Raheem Stirling, among others. "Certainly once you move into that front six position, I think we have a lot of options. I think theres a lot of possibilities," Hodgson told a news conference Monday in London. "A lot of players can play in different positions. And Id like to think thats that a very exciting group we have for those front six positions." Defoe, a veteran of the 2010 World Cup who has 19 goals and 55 caps with England, had figured in all but two of Hodgsons matchday squads before this. But Defoe, who has three goals in four MLS games, may not have been helped by playing overseas. According to Opta Sports, only four of the 114 players chosen for Englands last five World Cup squads played for non-English teams (Calgary-born Owen Hargreaves twice, David Beckham and Fraser Forster). Hargreaves played for Germans Bayern Munich, Beckham for the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS and Fraser for Glasgow Celtic. "Jermain Defoes international career could be over," the Daily Telegraph said after the squad announcement. Veteran fullback Ashley Cole, a 33-year-old fullback with 107 caps, announced his international retirement Sunday. Hodgson had opted for veteran Leighton Baines and 18-year-old Luke Shaw over Cole. Monday was the deadline for teams to provide FIFA with their 30-man provisional squads. The final 23-man squads must be declared by June 2. Injuries could still change the face of the England squad with Defoe and West Hams Andy Carroll selected as cover for up front. The England squad heads to Portugal next week to begin World Cup preparations, before playing Peru at Wembley on May 30. Nelsen, who captained New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup, has been torn about Defoe and the World Cup. While backing his players skills on the international stage, he also wants his top striker wearing a Toronto jersey as often as possible. "If I was the England manager, I probably would pick him," Nelsen said last week. "Because you know what youre going to get with him -- you absolutely know what youre going to get with him." Defoe offers experience and a scoring touch off the bench. He has scored everywhere he has played. Hodgson opted for youth in most cases although he went with the 32-year-old Lambert up front. Rooney is 28, Sturridge 24 and Welbeck 23. Lambert, a late bloomer on the international scene, has two goals and four caps. The average age of the Englands squad is 26 years 117 days, more than two years younger than 2010 but older than 2006 (25 years 258 days), according to Opta. Barkley, Sterling, Luke Shaw and Jordan Henderson have a combined 14 caps. Eleven of the 23 players have 10 caps or less while only six have been to a World Cup. "Bags of attacking talent, much unproven but exciting nevertheless, blatantly short defensively through the centre," tweeted former England striker and current TV pundit Gary Lineker. The greybeads on the squad are Frank Lampard (35), captain Steven Gerrard (33) Phil Jagielka (31), Lambert (32) and Ben Foster (31). Youngsters include Sterling (19), Oxlade-Chamberlain (20), Henderson (23), Phil Jones (22), and Jack Wilshere (22). After the Portugal camp, England flies to Miami for warmup games against Honduras and Ecuador before opening the World Cup on June 14 against Italy. England is in a group with Costa Rica, Italy and Uruguay at the summer tournament in Brazil. The England standby list also includes uncapped defenders John Stones (19) of Everton and Jon Flanagan of Liverpool, less than a year after featuring for England in the U20s World Cup in Turkey last summer. Flanagan is the nephew of Toronto FC defender Bradley Orr. The other standby players are Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy and midfielders Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley of Manchester United. Jacques Plante Jersey . Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were each convicted on four charges of aggravated rape, one of attempted aggravated rape and two for aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg was also found guilty of tampering with evidence as well as an unlawful photography charge. Anton Blidh Jersey . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival.Cricket South Africa (CSA) will formally introduce racial quotas at national team level, the board has revealed. The organisation has come under fire from the South African government for a lack of transformation in its national teams, leading to a ban on bidding for international tournaments that will be reviewed next year.President Chris Nenzani said in a statement that the CSA will seek to move with the times and set a minimum number of black players to be selected in all their national teams. He added that these targets would be calculated over a year and not apply on a match-by-match basis.In the past we had never set targets in our national teams but with changing circumstances we feel it is essential to move with the times, Nenzani said.The precise targets will depend on work to be undertaken by relevant committees to determine what is realistic and sustainable. This will be announced in due course.The Proteas had already been seeking to introduce more black players into the national teams in all formats and have done so with some success. Chris Nenzani (right) wants South Africa to move with the times The one-day international side that defeated Australia by 47 runs in the tri-series competition in the West Indiies in June had eight players of colour for the first time ever. Rogie Vachon Jersey. CSA has already introduced quotas for the countrys domestic franchise competitions where teams must field at least six players of colour, including three black African players.South Africas sports minister Fikile Mbalula has been critical of what he says is the slow rate of transformation in the countrys major sporting codes, bar football. South African Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula The country has seen greater participation among black players across most sports at junior level despite the challenge of providing adequate school facilities in poorer districts.But Mbalula wants to see this reflected quicker at national team level and in April slammed the federations from rugby, cricket, netball and athletics for failing to meet what he says were agreed to targets on transformation.He banned them from bidding for or hosting international events until they met their targets, with a review of this decision scheduled for this coming April. Also See: Fixtures/results Live cricket on Sky Get Sky Sports Cricket videos ' ' '
TORONTO -- A "devastated" Jermain Defoe will be watching the World Cup from afar, barring an injury call-up from England. Don McKenney Jersey . The 31-year-old Toronto FC forward did not make Englands main 23-man squad which features Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Rickie Lambert at forward. Instead the Major League Soccer star was one of two strikers named to Englands seven-man standby list. Defoe said he felt sharp, was scoring goals and thought he had done enough to make the team. He added he had also been looking forward to representing his country in Brazil. "You cant expect anything but I did feel like I had a good chance of going because Ive been in most of the squads if not all the squads," he told BBC Radio. "So to miss out, I dont know, I just feel devastated to be honest," he added. Asked by the BBC if coming to Toronto was a mistake, Defoe said "Not at all." On a personal level, Defoe said it was difficult. But he wished the England team the best of luck. Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen said Defoe will remain with the MLS club unless summoned by England. "I was a bit surprised and disappointed for Jermain because he arguably deserves it," Nelsen said from Vancouver, where Toronto plays the Whitecaps in the second leg of their Amway Canadian Championship semifinal Wednesday. "Its a shame for him. But hes on the standby (squad) and you never know." Torontos practice was closed Monday. "Of course hes disappointed. Anybody would be," said Nelsen. "But theres nothing you can really say when a situation like that happens. Thats the managers decision. So hes just got to keep scoring goals, keep fit and maybe he gets that call-up." Toronto will be losing Brazil goalie Julio Cesar and U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley to the soccer showcase. Bradley will play for Toronto on Wednesday and then join the American camp. Cesar is expected to leave Toronto after the weekend game against the New York Red Bulls. Age and geography probably played against Defoe in his bid to go to Brazil. The first-team England strike force has combined for 51 international goals and 124 caps in Rooney (38 goals, 89 caps), Sturridge (3, 10), Welbeck (8, 21) and Lambert (2, 4). Manager Roy Hodgson also has attacking options in midfield in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Ross Barkley and Raheem Stirling, among others. "Certainly once you move into that front six position, I think we have a lot of options. I think theres a lot of possibilities," Hodgson told a news conference Monday in London. "A lot of players can play in different positions. And Id like to think thats that a very exciting group we have for those front six positions." Defoe, a veteran of the 2010 World Cup who has 19 goals and 55 caps with England, had figured in all but two of Hodgsons matchday squads before this. But Defoe, who has three goals in four MLS games, may not have been helped by playing overseas. According to Opta Sports, only four of the 114 players chosen for Englands last five World Cup squads played for non-English teams (Calgary-born Owen Hargreaves twice, David Beckham and Fraser Forster). Hargreaves played for Germans Bayern Munich, Beckham for the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS and Fraser for Glasgow Celtic. "Jermain Defoes international career could be over," the Daily Telegraph said after the squad announcement. Veteran fullback Ashley Cole, a 33-year-old fullback with 107 caps, announced his international retirement Sunday. Hodgson had opted for veteran Leighton Baines and 18-year-old Luke Shaw over Cole. Monday was the deadline for teams to provide FIFA with their 30-man provisional squads. The final 23-man squads must be declared by June 2. Injuries could still change the face of the England squad with Defoe and West Hams Andy Carroll selected as cover for up front. The England squad heads to Portugal next week to begin World Cup preparations, before playing Peru at Wembley on May 30. Nelsen, who captained New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup, has been torn about Defoe and the World Cup. While backing his players skills on the international stage, he also wants his top striker wearing a Toronto jersey as often as possible. "If I was the England manager, I probably would pick him," Nelsen said last week. "Because you know what youre going to get with him -- you absolutely know what youre going to get with him." Defoe offers experience and a scoring touch off the bench. He has scored everywhere he has played. Hodgson opted for youth in most cases although he went with the 32-year-old Lambert up front. Rooney is 28, Sturridge 24 and Welbeck 23. Lambert, a late bloomer on the international scene, has two goals and four caps. The average age of the Englands squad is 26 years 117 days, more than two years younger than 2010 but older than 2006 (25 years 258 days), according to Opta. Barkley, Sterling, Luke Shaw and Jordan Henderson have a combined 14 caps. Eleven of the 23 players have 10 caps or less while only six have been to a World Cup. "Bags of attacking talent, much unproven but exciting nevertheless, blatantly short defensively through the centre," tweeted former England striker and current TV pundit Gary Lineker. The greybeads on the squad are Frank Lampard (35), captain Steven Gerrard (33) Phil Jagielka (31), Lambert (32) and Ben Foster (31). Youngsters include Sterling (19), Oxlade-Chamberlain (20), Henderson (23), Phil Jones (22), and Jack Wilshere (22). After the Portugal camp, England flies to Miami for warmup games against Honduras and Ecuador before opening the World Cup on June 14 against Italy. England is in a group with Costa Rica, Italy and Uruguay at the summer tournament in Brazil. The England standby list also includes uncapped defenders John Stones (19) of Everton and Jon Flanagan of Liverpool, less than a year after featuring for England in the U20s World Cup in Turkey last summer. Flanagan is the nephew of Toronto FC defender Bradley Orr. The other standby players are Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy and midfielders Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley of Manchester United. Jacques Plante Jersey . Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were each convicted on four charges of aggravated rape, one of attempted aggravated rape and two for aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg was also found guilty of tampering with evidence as well as an unlawful photography charge. Anton Blidh Jersey . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival.Cricket South Africa (CSA) will formally introduce racial quotas at national team level, the board has revealed. The organisation has come under fire from the South African government for a lack of transformation in its national teams, leading to a ban on bidding for international tournaments that will be reviewed next year.President Chris Nenzani said in a statement that the CSA will seek to move with the times and set a minimum number of black players to be selected in all their national teams. He added that these targets would be calculated over a year and not apply on a match-by-match basis.In the past we had never set targets in our national teams but with changing circumstances we feel it is essential to move with the times, Nenzani said.The precise targets will depend on work to be undertaken by relevant committees to determine what is realistic and sustainable. This will be announced in due course.The Proteas had already been seeking to introduce more black players into the national teams in all formats and have done so with some success. Chris Nenzani (right) wants South Africa to move with the times The one-day international side that defeated Australia by 47 runs in the tri-series competition in the West Indiies in June had eight players of colour for the first time ever. Rogie Vachon Jersey. CSA has already introduced quotas for the countrys domestic franchise competitions where teams must field at least six players of colour, including three black African players.South Africas sports minister Fikile Mbalula has been critical of what he says is the slow rate of transformation in the countrys major sporting codes, bar football. South African Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula The country has seen greater participation among black players across most sports at junior level despite the challenge of providing adequate school facilities in poorer districts.But Mbalula wants to see this reflected quicker at national team level and in April slammed the federations from rugby, cricket, netball and athletics for failing to meet what he says were agreed to targets on transformation.He banned them from bidding for or hosting international events until they met their targets, with a review of this decision scheduled for this coming April. Also See: Fixtures/results Live cricket on Sky Get Sky Sports Cricket videos ' ' '
