Campbell earns shock England call-up

Sunderland striker Fraizer Campbell is a shock call-up in Stuart Pearce's England squad to face Holland at Wembley next Wednesday.

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The 24-year-old came back into the Black Cats side this season after nearly 18 months out of the side and has made an immediate impact with two goals under new boss Martin O'Neill.

The former Manchester United man now joins Wayne Rooney, Darren Bent, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge as the strikers in a youthful 25-man squad.

Pearce, who has managed Campbell at under-21 level, said: "I know Fraizer quite well because the heads-up I've got is I've taken the majority of these boys to under-21 tournaments. He was fantastic on the road with us at under-21 level.

"He's come back into the Sunderland side and given them a real lift. I spoke to Martin about him at a game a few days ago and he spoke very highly of him.

"He's worked fantastically well to get back from the injury he's had. He's an exciting talent. I think he'll thrive by coming into this environment."

Also in Pearce's squad, the first since Fabio Capello stepped down, are Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley and Manchester City defender Micah Richards.

Pearce has been impressed with the way Cleverley, who has also recently returned from injury, has adapted to a central role.

"He started the season fantastically well," said Pearce. "It's been a bit stop-start with injuries. He's come back into he United side, they've played him in a more central role, which is something I didn't do at under-21 level, and he's flourished.

"They (United) talk highly of him. He's got a big future. Just being around the senior set-up will stand him in good stead."

While Cleverley was part of Capello's plans. Richards was a notable absentee for almost the entire of the the Italian's tenure.

Pearce said: "He's done extremely well this year. To hold your place in the Manchester City side is no mean feat these days. He's had a smashing season.

"It will be interesting for him and his mentality coming back into the squad.

"It's important we nurture these talents and make sure they fulfil their potential.

"He's got a great opportunity to come in and impress."

He added: "We're on the home run for the tournament in the summer and I think it's important we get one or two of these young faces in here and see if they can handle a game of this magnitude."

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Asked if anything should be read into the absence of the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard from the experimental squad, Pearce said: "They won't be playing on Wednesday. Beyond that, no.

"My mentality going into the game was 'what would I need to learn as a manager going into a major tournament this summer and what would the possible next manager looking from afar need to learn about individuals?'

"I know Frank and John and other senior players and wouldn't learn anything from watching them play on Wednesday, but I might learn something from watching one or two of the other individuals about whether they are going to be good enough to serve England in the summer."

Pearce was asked about the topical issue of racism, after a story about him abusing Paul Ince in the 1990s was brought up again when he was handed the caretaker job recently.

He said: "In some ways I found it a little bid sad, to be quite honest with you, to re-hash a story from 17 years ago which was reported at the time and apologised [for] at the time by myself.

"I think it's something that, from my point of view, wasn't appropriate at the time. To bring that up, and the timing of it, I found quite sad, and I felt sorry for Paul because I know him and his family would have been chased for comments as well at the time.

"That's as it is, really. Obviously I do everything I possibly can in regards to anti-racism campaigns when asked."

Then asked about Terry, who lost the captain's armband while allegations of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, which he denies, are ongoing, Pearce said: "It's something not worth me commenting on at this stage, to be honest. That's something that's gone before and obviously that's something that's going to be dealt with in the summer."

England squad:

Scott Carson (Bursaspor), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Robert Green (West Ham United), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur), Ashley Young (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Darren Bent (Aston Villa), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).