Sturridge calm over England future

The Chelsea striker is being tipped to be in the squad for next month's friendlies against Spain and Sweden as manager Fabio Capello comes to terms with Wayne Rooney's suspension for the opening three matches of Euro 2012. Capello has so far ignored Sturridge, despite the 22-year-old being one of the country's form forwards in 2011.

"If England comes and I play for England then great," Sturridge said at Chelsea's latest 'An Audience with...' event at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night. "But I am not really worried about playing for England - it is not something I am really stressing about. My main focus is to play for Chelsea every week and if I can do that then I am happy."

He added: "It has been a long time I have been playing at Chelsea now and I have not been playing regularly so for me the most important thing is to be playing regularly.

"I could play a lot better than I am and I am getting used to the position out wide. I enjoy playing there."

With Capello having recently switched to a three-man attack, Sturridge could prove the ideal replacement for Rooney, who was last night banned for all England's group games at Euro 2012.

Sturridge has shown he can play across the front three and his international credentials were given a ringing endorsement yesterday by team-mate Ashley Cole.

"He is one of the hardest guys to mark in training because of the speed he plays at," said the left-back.

"He can go inside and outside and he is strong.

"He should have been in the last England squad and, if he keeps doing what he is doing, he will be in the squad for Euro 2012, no problem at all."

Source: PA

Source: PA