The England squad announced today has some new faces in it, but some players will have been disappointed not to see their names on the list.
Roy Hodgson’s England squads have generally been popular and he has consistently given talented, technically gifted players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana their debuts.
He has however been criticised, like many managers before him, for ignoring players from outside the top few clubs in England.
Here are some players who can feel hard done by for not having got the call up for Hodgson’s most recent squad.
5) Mark Noble
The West Ham United midfielder has always been a consistent and dependable presence, but now that he is playing alongside more competent team-mates, he is really shining, controlling the tempo and making crucial interceptions.
Noble could thrive at the base of England’s midfield.
4) Nathan Dyer
Dyer has flourished at Swansea City since their promotion and has started this season where he left off last term, scoring three times in their opening three games.
Hodgson has received criticism for not having visited the Liberty Stadium since his appointment as Three Lions boss in 2012, although earlier this month he insisted “I know the player Nathan Dyer very well, in the wide areas he faces a lot of competition but we know he’s there”.
3) Calum Chambers
The Hampshire-born defender has been thrown immediately into first team action at Arsenal due to their injury crisis and has performed admirably.
Yet the 19-year-old has been demoted to the Under-21 squad after making a brief appearance for the senior team in the last international break, with his former Southampton team-mate Nathaniel Clyne looking set to replace him at right-back for England.
2) Saido Berahino
West Bromwich Albion attacker Berahino has also been called up to the U-21s, for whom he has been outstanding in recent games.
The young Englishman might well have been hoping to make the step up to the senior side this time round, following his brace against Burnley at the weekend and Daniel Sturridge’s injury.
Many will argue that if he played for a “bigger” club, he would have been given his chance long ago.
1) Stewart Downing
The winger, derided as a flop at Liverpool, has been reborn in Sam Allardyce’s new West Ham system.
At the tip of a diamond midfield he tore apart the Reds in the Hammers’ 3-1 win recently and he performed admirably against in their loss Manchester United at the weekend.
Downing has not appeared for England since 2012, but given that Hodgson has played a diamond in recent international games, the 30-year-old must believe he has a chance at a recall to the national team if he continues to perform for his club.