10 Big Questions Raised By England's World Cup Squad

5. Was It Wise To Leave Ashley Cole At Home?

The biggest talking point since Hodgson announced his squad has been the selection of a number of young players ahead of established seniors. The most controversial example of this was the choice of 18-year old Southampton left back, Luke Shaw, ahead of veteran Ashley Cole, who immediately announced his international retirement on 107 caps. It was a bold move by Hodgson, but whether it was a wise one remains highly debatable. Cole may not have played too often for Chelsea this season, but got a couple of games in the final fixtures and showed himself to be in decent form. He may not be the player he once was, but is still defensively reliable even if his attacking abilities have waned. Luke Shaw is a player full of promise, but still unrefined in many aspects of his game and, like Baines, not always as dependable in his defensive work as he needs to be. He'll almost certainly be an outstanding player in the future, but isn't there yet and his lack of experience could be a major impediment if an injury to Baines means England need to rely on him, a teenager who has never experienced the pressure of football on anything bigger than the domestic stage. Throwing such a young man into the pressure cooker of the biggest competition in world football feels like a disaster waiting to happen. It's possible he could show his maturity and overcome the challenge with ease, but we've seen enough players collapse under the weight of expectation to know this could be a case of too much, too soon even for this most gifted youngster. Cole deserved one last chance at an international competition, even in a back-up role, and would offer a defensive alternative to Baines and the experience and cunning to handle world class opponents.