Carragher set to reject England SOS - so McClaren turns to Sol

The England coach plans to meet the Liverpool defender next week after it emerged that skipper John Terry will miss this month's friendly against Germany and is also extremely doubtful for next month's European Championship qualifiers against Israel and Russia because of a knee injury. If his plea fails, McClaren may turn to Sol Campbell.

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Happy to stay in exile: Jamie Carragher

Carragher felt let down by McClaren when Ledley King was called in to replace Rio Ferdinand for the clash against Estonia in June - the coach had consistently told him he was third choice behind Ferdinand and Terry - and has no real desire to go back on his recent decision to retire if he is simply a short-term solution.

But McClaren remains determined to persuade Carragher to change his mind, just as he now says he is considering calling Campbell out of the international wilderness.

"I have spoken to Jamie Carragher," said McClaren yesterday. "A lot has been said about that. Jamie is a very important player for England and a very important member of the squad.

"There is no way I - or the players or anybody - want to lose him. That was expressed in a couple of conversations I had with Jamie before pre-season. What we said is that he won't make any firm decisions until I have spoken to him. I aim to do that. Keeping Jamie involved in the squad is my main aim.

"I can understand his thought process. I have every sympathy with players who want to play and feel they should play. It has been quite unfortunate.

"But there are players in every squad who can play in many positions. Maybe it is to the detriment of that player. But Jamie has been a great servant to the England team for many years and I want that to continue. I hope in my conversations with him next week, we can resolve it."

McClaren will still 'look at other options', which includes turning to Campbell a year after dropping him from the squad in an answerphone message that left the new 32-year-old Portsmouth captain fuming.

"Certainly with the injuries we have got (Jonathan Woodgate and King are also struggling) I will not be dismissing going to watch Portsmouth," said McClaren.

In the frame: Sol Campbell

"Sol had a very good year last year. Obviously with the injury to Ben Foster, it would be foolish of me to dismiss David James and Sol. I never said I would do that and I have no intention of doing it.

"You can't close the door on anyone. It is all on the situation at the time, people's form and injuries to others. We have done it with other players before. You never close the door on anyone. As long as they want to play for England, then great."

But questions are bound to be asked about McClaren's manmanagement skills. In contrast to his predecessor Sven Goran Eriksson, he has fallen out with key senior players. And, not for the first time, he has subsequently been forced to reconsider the decision to exclude them.

David Beckham, whom he famously recalled earlier this summer, is another injury concern but McClaren intends to travel to Washington this week to see Los Angeles Galaxy face DC United, even if the former England captain is not fit enough to take part.

"I do have plans to go over," he said. "I know David has been struggling with injury. He has not played yet. I intend to go over and see him play and also to have a chat with him.

"Also I would like to have a chat with his coach Frank Yallop and the director of football Alexi Lalas. I need to do that. I also need to have a chat with David to see how he is. I also need to have a look at the standard of football over there.

"A lot of people have been writing things about that. But I need to see it and make that judgment myself rather than leave it to other people.

"I intend to make the trip without missing anything back here. Hopefully, he will be involved against Washington on Thursday. But I will be back. The main thing is to see Premier League games at the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday and Tuesday, Wednesday next week.

"It is not going to get in the way of that schedule. Thursday is probably the only chance I will have to go over. Hopefully, David will be involved. But I want to speak to him anyway."