Southgate back in the fold

Sven-Goran Eriksson appears to have made his peace with Gareth Southgate after recalling the Middlesbrough defender for Sunday’s friendly with Denmark.

Southgate fell out of favour earlier this season and then criticised Eriksson’s leadership style in a book written with his former Crystal Palace team-mate Andy Woodman.

The 33-year-old claimed Eriksson “makes sense but doesn’t inspire” and suggested the side’s tactical approach was not broad enough.

Southgate had previously been a regular member of Eriksson’s squads but was omitted after the 2-1 defeat of Slovakia at the Riverside Stadium in June.

He claimed he was “bitterly disappointed” to have been left out but even after the publication of the book in early October he still harboured hopes of regaining his England place.

That chance of a return could have come sooner than he thought had he not suffered an injury prior to last month’s Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey.

The exclusion of Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand threw open an unexpected vacancy in the squad but for Southgate the issue was academic due to a groin problem.

But with Ferdinand missing again and Arsenal’s Sol Campbell also absent, the former Aston Villa man has been recalled.

“You have to keep trying and keep ambitious,” Southgate said before the Turkey match. “My priority is to get fit and play for Middlesbrough, but there will always be a desire and a passion to be with England.”