Carroll's inclusion in squad leaves ‘Big Ron' puzzled

Dubai: Andy Carroll's inclusion in Roy Hodgson's England squad for Euro 2012 is a gamble, according to former Manchester United boss Ron Atkinson, who says the Liverpool striker was only chosen on account of his FA Cup final cameo.

Wednesday's otherwise "safe-ish" squad announcement typified a lack of current options, Atkinson said of a team bereft of the injured Jack Wilshere. But picking Carroll ahead of more proven strikers confused ‘Big Ron'.

Atkinson, 73, told Gulf News: "I would also have liked to have seen Grant Holt being given a chance in one of the friendlies to see what he can do, because at least he's a proven goalscorer. We haven't got an abundance of scorers. Andy Carroll has got into the team on the basis of 15 minutes in a cup final. I think the manager's taken a gamble on him in the hope the tournament will bring out the best in him."

Atkinson added: "It's a safe-ish team but we didn't have too many alternatives. [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain is a big call. People may have said ‘let's give Darren Bent or Peter Crouch a call' but it's swapping like for like. We've only got two or three world-class players, apart from that it's all much of a muchness."

Asked if youth had been overlooked, Atkinson replied: "He's got [Danny] Welbeck, [Daniel] Sturridge is on standby and then there's Phil Jones. [Chris] Smalling is injured. Apart from that there's no young players who warranted a call.

Ron Atkinson and England's 1966 World Cup final hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst will be at Dubai's Movenpick Hotel at Ibn Battuta Gate throughout Euro 2012, for more information contact 04 444 5613.