Jones considered for England start
England arrived in Montenegro yesterday for their final Euro 2012 qualifier with coach Fabio Capello considering a debut for Phil Jones.
The Manchester United defender, 19, could start alongside captain John Terry in central defence.
Everton’s Phil Jagielka is in contention to play at right-back in place of the injured Chris Smalling.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has pressed his claims to start alongside Scott Parker.
Lampard’s stand-out performance in practice on Wednesday has opened up the possibility of Capello reverting to a 4-4-2 system and playing another striker alongside Wayne Rooney.
Jones has been a revelation at Old Trafford since his £16m move from Blackburn and won public approval from captain Terry after he trained alongside the teenager in Bulgaria last month.
Capello was pleased with the performances of Gary Cahill against Bulgaria and Wales but the Bolton man has been in a defence leaking goals at an alarming rate after he was the subject of interest from Arsenal and Tottenham before the transfer window closed.
The England boss may yet keep faith with Cahill but Jones is pushing hard for inclusion after continuing to impress the Italian.
Jones’ Manchester United team-mate Smalling started against Bulgaria and Wales but has missed the trip to Montenegro with a groin injury.
Manchester City’s Micah Richards and Tottenham’s Kyle Walker will also be hoping to replace the former Fulham man, but Capello is an admirer of Jagielka and may go with the 29-year-old’s experience in what is expected to be a hostile atmosphere at the City Stadium.
Former Liverpool attacker Milan Jovanovic is one of three Montenegro players set to be rested.
Jovanovic, along with defender Marko Basa and midfielder Nikola Drincic, are on yellow cards and newly appointed coach Branko Brnovic is unwilling to risk any of the trio picking up a suspension for the final qualifier against Switzerland on Tuesday.
Meanwhile Football Association Chairman David Bernstein insists there is no chance of Fabio Capello remaining as England manager beyond Euro 2012.
Bernstein also claimed the FA had not started the search for the 65-year-old Italian’s successor.
Responding to speculation some within the FA are keen for Capello to extend his contract, Bernstein said: ”He is our manager until the end of the European Championship. That is it.”
On speculation the FA would look for an English successor to Capello, Bernstein added: “It is not something on our agenda at the moment. You can’t be half pregnant about these things”.
Bernstein also accused Fifa of failing to tackle corruption and cast doubt on Sepp Blatter’s proposed reforms to clean up the game.
“There is a Fifa ExCo this month and we are hoping something will come out of that but I wouldn’t hold your breath. It’s a difficult nut to crack, we will have to see what Mr Blatter will do.”