Capello drops Walcott from England’s squad

Theo Walcott was omitted from England's final 23-man World Cup squad today, one of seven players dropped by coach Fabio Capello following a training camp.



Capello preferred the more experienced Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips to the Arsenal winger, who was at the 2006 World Cup at age 17 but never played.



Capello also left Darren Bent, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Scott Parker, Michael Dawson and Leighton Baines out of the party that heads to South Africa tomorrow.



Defensive midfielder Gareth Barry is included despite an ankle injury that could still rule him out of England's opening group match against the United States on June 12.



Bent's omission means that Emile Heskey will go to a second World Cup despite starting fewer than half Aston Villa's Premier League matches this season.



Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe are the other strikers in a squad also featuring three goalkeepers, eight defenders and eight midfielders.