It’s official – England will win Euro 2012. Well, that’s only likely if you’re playing Football Manager: in terms of actually winning a game that’s not on a hard drive, Roy Hodgson’s boys have long way to go.

Source: The Guardian

England’s team for Euro 2012 has just been announced to a crowded press conference room in Wembley Stadium. A few surprise inclusions are sure to get every man, woman, child and dog, up and down the country in heated debate.

The usual trusted irreplaceable faces will be on the plane to Poland and Ukraine this June; Joe Hart will go as England’s No.1 along with Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker and Wayne Rooney and will try to make sure football fans won’t laugh at us as much anymore.

The surprises however are, well, big. Stewart Downing has been included “thanks” to a sparkling debut season at Liverpool – where he provided 0 assists and 0 goals. Fellow Kop chum Glen Johnson is also in, though we suspect only due to Kyle Walker being out of the tournament due to injury. It does make you wonder what Micah Richards of Man City has to do to get into the England squad despite being the best right back in the country – with a Premier League winners medal.

The biggest inclusion sure to have fans up in arms as well as intelligent discourse too (we hope) is that John Terry has been picked, but Rio Ferdinand left home, with punters assuming his fractious relationship with JT being the reason why coupled with a question over his fitness.

In the striking department, Hodgson has gone with four strikers in the shape of lanky Liverpool hit (but usually miss) man, Andy Carroll, Man United’s raw but exciting Danny Welbeck, the ever present Wayne Rooney and regular goal-getter/tabloid regular, Jermaine Defoe.

The bright side to all this though is that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is in: so keep you r fingers crossed to see the Ox tear through a few defences this summer.

So there it is, an England squad, blighted by injuries (Wilshere, Rodwell, Dawson to name a few) although that should be no excuse, Roy Hodgson and his team will have the nations expectations on their shoulders, though being paid 50 grand a week should ease that a little shouldn’t it?

Remember, you can win all your England related gear on Yipiii for just £1. That’s the cheapest investment you’ll ever make in the transfer market this summer!

England’s Euro 2012 squad in full:

Goalkeepers - Joe Hart, Robert Green, John Ruddy.

Defenders - Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, John Terry.

Midfielders - Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young.

Strikers - Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck.

Standby - Jack Butland, Phil Jagielka, Jordan Henderson, Adam Johnson, Daniel Sturridge.

UMBRO Men's England 2012/2013 SS Home Football Shirt: £44.99, max discount £2

adidas Euro 2012 Capitano England Football - White/Poppy/Metallic Silver: £11.99, max discount £1

St George Bear: £35.00, max discount £1