After playing the full 90 minutes against Wales to help Stuart Pearce’s young team reach next summer’s European Under-21 Championship finals in Sweden on Tuesday night, Middlesbrough defender David Wheater and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart were drafted in Fabio Capello’s senior squad for the Belarus game on Wednesday.
They are flying out to Minsk to provide cover for the players who were selected in the original senior squad.
Capello decided he needed cover for injured Chelsea defenders John Terry and Ashley Cole and the West Ham goalkeeper, Robert Green - all of whom are out through injury.
Their absences meant Capello had limited options, with only David James and Scott Carson available in the goalkeeping department.
Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor would also have flown to Minsk but was forced to withdraw after sustaining a hamstring injury in the 2-2 draw against Wales that gave England’s Under-21s a 5-4 aggregate victory.
StuartPearce had offered to pull all three players out of the game against the Wales Under-21s, but coach Franco Baldini refused.
“Franco just said definitely not, the game was too important,” said Pearce.
“Part of my job is to get results, educate them and get them through to the seniors.
“We had planned on taking three of them. They were proud to be asked this morning. Unfortunately Gaby will not be going but the other two are proud to.”
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