As English central defenders and strikers pull out of the England squad at a rate faster than doped cyclists are booted out of the Tour de France, the attention has focused on who Steve McLaren will pick. And, it’s not looking pretty with talk focusing on the potential call-up of Kevin Davies.

Yet, if McLaren is one who likes to take the positive out of any situation, he’ll surely be thankful that the problems he faces in picking eleven men to face Germany has saved him from having to answer why Jermaine Pennant didn’t even make it in his squad.

Of course, Pennant’s character does him little favours. His petulant, whingeing and remonstrative nature regularly surfaces during games earning him needless yellow cards and winning him no respect. Too often Benitez has been forced to take him off to avoid the possibility of seeing him getting sent off.

If Pennant has truly matured from the time at Birmingham, the he truly should know better than keep this up: eventually Benitez will decide that he’s had enough and from then on there will only be one conclusion. Regardless of this, for fans it is irritating to see Pennant mouth his way into stupid bookings and petty quarrels.

If it is hard for the fans to like Pennant, it is understandable that the media don’t seem overly willing to push forward his case for inclusion in an England side. But that is missing the point. There are plenty equally annoying players who still get to play for England. Because, ultimately, it should be a case of those who are good enough get to represent their country.

And, based on his form since January, Pennant definitely falls into that category. Take last Sunday’s game against Chelsea where he regularly had the beating of Ashley Cole and put in a whole series of fantastic crosses every time the ball got to him. It wasn’t an isolated case either: it is also what he did against AC Milan in the Champions League final where he was arguably the best player on the pitch.

Yet a player who can excel against Europe’s finest isn’t good enough to play for his country. It is a similar situation to the one that forced Jamie Carragher to retire from the international game: a slot at left back was the best that could be offered to a player widely regarded as one of the world’s finest central defenders.

Some people simply have to be fit to make it into the England squad: Stewart Downing is a prime example. At least he has the valid backing of being left footed, something no other Englishman seems to be but what’s the excuse for Wes Brown?

Most Liverpool fans will tell you that England doesn’t matter and that it is probably better that players are allowed to focus on their club rather then their country. Judging by his comments, however, it clearly does matter for Pennant. Whether it matters to McLaren to have the best possible players, however, is an altogether different thing.