But if you talk to me about Steven Gerrard I would say people didn’t recognise his game for a long time. Injury prevented King from taking part in the World Cup finals in Germany. Eriksson had also tried him in a defensive midfield role a number of times.The Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, who will be the new England vice-captain, was also played there as the Swede tried to fit him in the same side as David Beckham and Frank Lampard. The 26-year-old had been first capped in 2000 but Henry made it clear not everyone had appreciated Gerrard’s true worth as quickly as he had from playing against him.He said: “I love Steven Gerrard. The only defender here who doesn’t do that and sometimes still gets the ball off my feet easily is Ledley King.”He is the only guy who doesn’t hold players He will get the ball off you without you even noticing.

For me, that is a good defender.”He plays without any contact yet is somehow still strong and gets the ball without doing any fouls.”King, 25, has been capped 15 times so far with Eriksson preferring to use John Terry – McClaren’s new captain – and Rio Ferdinand as his central defensive pairing. But the Frenchman admitted he had not always come out on top in derby meetings with the Tottenham defender, who had been used only occasionally in the national team by the previous manager, Sven Goran Eriksson.
He said: “I don’t like defenders who hold the shirts of other players. Thierry Henry has given the England manager, Steve McClaren, food for thought by naming Ledley King as the only defender who can get the better of him without fouling. The Arsenal captain has been the Premiership’s number one striker for a number of seasons and is arguably the best in the world. Yesterday, Beckham released a statement in which he pledged to continue fighting for his place in the team, but it is understood that McClaren has told the 31-year-old that he will not consider picking him again.. “I was planning for the future and a different direction,” McClaren said, “and David wasn’t included in that.”

The England manager, who has already earned the nickname “Mac the knife” has chosen his first squad announcement to make the deepest cut of all. I’m training for a number of hours each week to make sure that does happen.”Possible squad: A J Strauss (c), M E Trescothick, A N Cook, K P Pietersen, P D Collingwood, I R Bell, C M W Read, S I Mahmood, M J Hoggard, S J Harmison, M S Panesar, A G R Loudon, S C J Broad..

David Beckham’s international career was brought to a spectacular end yesterday when Steve McClaren revealed he told the former captain that his face no longer fitted under the new England regime. But the 29-year-old has not had a good series against Pakistan, taking just seven wickets at 50 a piece. With the Ashes approaching there would be some benefit in giving Broad a game, but Hoggard would not want to give a potential challenger for his place a chance to shine. There is also the small matter of £10,000 – £6,000 match fee and a share of the prize money – the sum Hoggard would expect to earn for playing in Thursday’s Test.One person who will not be featuring at The Oval is Michael Vaughan. But the England captain is optimistic about playing at some stage this winter. “I am determined to get back on a cricket pitch sooner rather than later,” he said.

“If that is December or January, or if not I’ve got to be patient But I’m determined to make sure that does happen. Hoggard bowled with a niggling knee injury in the third Test but he will not want to bring his run of 35 consecutive Test appearances to an end. For an England fast bowler this is remarkable, bettered only by Ian Botham, who played in 65 consecutive Tests between February 1978 and March 1984.Hoggard’s run began in March 2004 on England’s tour of the West Indies, and since then he has taken 140 wickets at an average of 27.69. Lewis has been selected in all three Test squads against Pakistan but is yet to make the starting XI.The Oval is not a venue that suits Lewis’ style of bowling, as his career record – four wickets at an average of 63 – testifies.