GIVEN the attention afforded to the omission of David Bentley from the latest England squad, the returns of experienced campaigners Sol Campbell and David James into the international fold have been largely ignored.

Last summer, when Steve McClaren announced his first squad as national team boss, he outlined a determination to head in a new direction, meaning both Campbell and James' England careers appeared to be over. Not so.

Just as David Beckham was offered an olive branch in the hope of reviving hopes of qualifying for next year's European Championships, McClaren clearly feels the best way of taking this country forward is to recall two more thirty-somethings for Wednesday's friendly with Germany.

Between them Campbell and James they have amassed well over 100 caps, yet questions have got to be asked when both are recalled after such a long time away from the England scene.

But it is one thing when you turn to, arguably, this country's best talent to spare our blushes, and it is quite another when there are no brighter, young talents to fill up holes in an international squad.

Provided players are deserving enough to be in the starting line-up, age should not be an issue. But when McClaren has no intention of starting either veteran, surely the younger generation would be better off becoming involved in the squad.

It is a sorry indictment of the English game when we are having to rely on Campbell whose best days, surely, are behind him.

After taking a look down the Premier League squads, it becomes evident that McClaren has been forced into turning to the Portsmouth veteran for back up.

With Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate injured, and Jamie Carragher sick of sitting on the bench, there are few alternatives around.

If anyone has any ideas on who should be given a chance to fill the other centre-back positions, beyond Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, then Northern Echo SPORT would be interested to hear.

Steven Taylor perhaps deserves a call-up for his heroics for the Under-21s in the summer, when he battled on through injury and still managed to score a spot-kick in a penalty shoot-out.

But is he ready to fill the breach should Terry or Ferdinand not make it for vital European Championships qualifiers with Russia and Israel? Probably not.

For those Newcastle fans ready to throw your cornflakes my way, this is not a rant about Taylor's ability. He has an exceptional future in the game, he just isn't ready for England.

Even his club manager, Sam Allardyce, has spoken out this season about the Tynesider's limitations and he has recently suggested the youngster will not be a regular once he has made all of his signings.

Taylor makes mistakes, is often caught out of position, and that is not something England should welcome at such a crucial stage of qualification.

Wes Brown has, of course, also been named in the squad, while Micah Richards has the versatility to move into the middle. But there would appear to be a serious lack of other central defenders capable of stepping up to the England table. Hence the reason why McClaren has had to turn to Campbell, again.

It is a similar case in point with James. The former England number one will never return to that position, so why is he in the squad?

With Ben Foster injured and Scott Carson involved in McClaren's thinking, the only other options would be Chris Kirkland and Rob Green.

It would seem that Kirkland has been overlooked because of his injury record, but perhaps McClaren should have opted for West Ham's number one Green rather than recall James.

Perhaps the former Middlesbrough manager's way of thinking will never be worked out. This time next month the whole country could be up in arms about a recall for Emile Heskey.