Source: Daily_Mail
Michael Dawson in the World Cup running - Fabio Capello rates Tottenham defender
Michael Dawson has played his way into World Cup contention after impressive displays at the heart of Tottenham's defence. [LNB]England manager Fabio Capello has never selected the 26-year-old centre-half in one of his squads but watched him excel against both Chelsea on Saturday and Arsenal last week and now considers him a possible option should his plans be disrupted by further injuries.[LNB] Fit to wear the shirt: Michael Dawson has leapt into the England reckoning[LNB]Amid concerns over the fitness of players like Rio Ferdinand, Joleon Lescott, Ledley King and Wes Brown - none of whom were in action at the weekend - Capello will watch Dawson again when Tottenham meet Manchester United on Saturday. [LNB]After representing the under 21s on 13 occasions and playing two further games for England B, Dawson probably expected to make his first senior international appearance long before now. But he has never got closer than a place in the senior squad. [LNB]His first encounter with the senior squad was seven years ago when Sven Goran Eriksson called up a then 19-year-old Dawson for a training match.[LNB] Eriksson then returned to Dawson in the summer of 2005, naming him in the squad for the end of season tour of America for the games against the USA and Colombia. He might have well have made his England debut on that trip, but was forced to withdraw with an injury. Sadly for Dawson, such setbacks have occurred all too regularly over the past few years. [LNB]That said, he went close to making Eriksson's squad for the last World Cup. He was an unused substitute for the pretournament friendlies against Hungary and Jamaica, forming part of England's reserve squad for the World Cup in Germany.[LNB] Injuries have been a major problem but if more senior centre-halves are still struggling come next month's squad announcement the Tottenham favourite could yet find himself on the England flight to South Africa. [LNB]Capello is keeping all his options open, with Fulham striker Bobby Zamora also on his radar.[LNB] Dawson sets his sights on scuppering Manchester United's title chargeRobbie Keane named Celtic player of the year as supporters hail on-loan Spurs strikerSunderland boss Steve Bruce wants to sign Alan Hutton on permanent deal from SpursTOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC
